Overview of Charcuterie
Charcuterie is cooked meat, especially pork. It refers to products like pâtés and sausages which are made and sold in delicatessen-style shops, also called charcuteries. The French word for a person who practices charcuterie is charcutier.
Process and Variety
Emulsified sausages have a very fine texture. They use pork, beef, poultry, fat, and seasonings blended at high speed. Charcuterie involves prepared meats like ham, bacon, or confit. Mix textures and flavors of the meats for variety.
Historical Significance
The term comes from chair and cuite, meaning flesh and cooked. It was created to avoid contamination between raw and cooked meat then solely pork. Processing meat was highly respected, resulting in a guild of charcutiers.
What does charcuterie literally translate to?
Charcuterie literally translates to cooked flesh. The French word combines chair (flesh) and cuite (cooked).
What do Americans call charcuterie?
Charcuterie literally translates to cooked flesh. The French word combines chair (flesh) and cuite (cooked).