Cotechino

Traditional raw meat paste that is cooked before consumed, cylindrically shaped, tied with string in 4 or 8 segments. It has a diameter of 8-9 cm, 30-40 cm in length and each piece has an average weight of 800-1000 grams. The surface is smooth and red in color. The paste consists of white fat and red lean meat with a medium-grained texture. The consistency is sticky; spices and aromas are not obvious. The product is matured for 3 days before it is ready for sale.

Frozen pork (40%)
Pork bacon (20%)
Pig skin (40%)
Salt (2.5%)
Spices: cinnamon, whole cloves, peppercorns, nutmeg, coriander, ginger
Additives: Potassium Nitrate (E 252) (bactericide), ascorbic acid (anti-oxidant)
Other ingredients: wine
Pork casing (crespone danese -large intestine- diameter 80-90 mm)

Clean the meats by hand at a temperature of 6-10 °C
Trim the meats 
Allow the meats to rest in the freezer at 0 °C for 24 hours
Weigh the meats to quantify the spices needed to added by hand
Transfer the meat to a grinder
Grind the meat and bacon with medium grates until 6 mm
Finely grind the pig skin (5 mm)
Combine by hand
Manually add the spices to prevent them from clinging to equipment
Mix mechanically for 3-5 minutes
Transfer to stuffing machine
Prepare the casing by washing in vinegar and rinsing with water
Mechanically fill casings with meat paste
Tie with string by hand 
Pierce the casing by hand to enhance drying
Dry at 24 °C for 12 hours without humidity control
Transfer to aging room for 2 days with a controlled atmosphere of 20-22 ° C and relative humidity of 60-70%