Mortadella is a pork sausage that originated in Italy and is made with a mixture of lean & fatty pork with cubes of fat & spices. The meat is ground and mixed with spices before being stuffed into a casing and cooked.
Mortadella is one of the most popular types of sausage in the world and can be found in grocery stores across the globe.
It is made with a mixture of pork meat and fatback, which gives it its distinctive flavor and texture. Mortadella is usually served as an appetizer or snack, but can also be used in sandwiches or pasta dishes.
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Where Did It Originate From?
Mortadella is a pork sausage that originated in Italy. It is often known as the “original” bologna sausage from Bologna, Italy, even though thanks to Oscar Mayer, bologna is different enough from mortadella that many meat purveyors don’t consider it bologna – ditto for “Italian” meatballs made in America.
Very “meta” and confusing.
Either way, unlike bologna, mortadella does require a Indication of Geographic Protection from Bologna, Italy to be actual Mortadella (similar to varieties of soppressata or bresaola). That’s why there is so much variety and lack of consistency among bologna brands.
What Ingredients Are Used To Make Mortadella
Mortadella is a pork sausage that originated in Italy and is made with a mixture of pork, beef, and fatback. The meat is ground and mixed with spices before being stuffed into a casing and cooked. It is must have at least 15% small fat cubes throughout the product – a defining feature that separates it from modern day bologna.
Additionally, mortadella meat is known for having whole chunks of spices like black pepper and garlic in addition to whole olives, pistachios, berries, and more. These ingredients add to the flavor and spice of the meat.
How Is Mortadella Made?
Here’s how mortadella is made on a large scale.
And here’s how homemade mortadella is made.
With a good blender, a good mortadella is fairly easy at home (especially with a sausage stuffer). You can find most ingredients at a local grocery store. It is served in thin slices as a cold cut or deli meat.
Different Types of Mortadella
There are several different types of Mortadella, including Bologna, Milano, and Roma. Bologna is the most common type of Mortadella and is made with a mixture of pork, beef, and fatback.
Milano Mortadella is made with a mixture of veal, pork, and fatback, while Roma Mortadella is made with a mixture of pork and bacon.
Nearly every country and every butcher will have their own spin on mortadella. All types of mortadella revolve around what whole spices & ingredients are included in the sausage, and what other meats are ground in with the pork.
What Does Mortadella Taste Like?
Mortadella has a mild, smoky flavor that is often described as creamy & rich. The fat cubes add an especially unique texture.
The meat is ground before being mixed with spices and stuffed into a casing to be cooked. There are also plenty of variations depending on the spices included.
How To Store & Serve Mortadella
Mortadella is not a cured sausage, so it will go bad faster than most sausages. Treat it like most lunch meat with preservatives – a few days in the refrigerator. Be sure to ask the deli you purchased it for specific advice.
Recipes That Use Mortadella
Mortadella is a popular ingredient in many Italian dishes. Some of the most popular recipes that use Mortadella include:
Mortadella also makes a fine luncheon meat for a mortadella sandwich (especially on a sandwich press with condiments!) or addition to a charcuterie board.
Mortadella can be eaten cold or hot, and it’s a popular ingredient in sandwiches. If you’re looking for something new to try in your next sandwich, why not give mortadella a try?
Where To Buy Mortadella
Not every grocery store will carry mortadella, but many with a full-service deli will. You can also look for your local butcher or try online retailers. You can also find some options on general retailers like Amazon.
- Most appreciated Italian cold cut that is in high demand across the world because of its memorable taste.
- Original Mortadella Bologna IGP that is healthy and genuine. It can be eaten alone by thinly slicing it or eaten with a favorite recipe.
- Healthier and easily digestible than salami, ham and other cold cuts.
- Mortadella Bologna IGP is rich in vitamin B, iron and zinc, but low in calories because it contains minimum cholesterol content, similar to lean meats.