Corsican Coppa
Pork loin
Coppa comes from the spine of the pig, from the 5th rib upwards, i.e. the upper part of the neck with the muscles at cervical level. One pig makes two coppas. It's not a delicatessen specific to Corsica, as it's also found in Italy and Switzerland.
Not to be confused with lonzu, which is less spicy and has a nutty aftertaste.
Elaboration
After cutting, the coppa is quickly salted to preserve it for 1 or 2 days, depending on its weight, then desalted with water before being flavored with pepper and garlic extracts mixed with wine to give it a spicy taste. It is then coated in coarse-grained pepper mixed with other herbs and spices according to the recipe, which varies from one charcutier to another.
It can also be smoked with chestnut or oak wood, before being dried and left to mature for 2 to 5 months, before being marketed.
Characteristics
Approximately 30 cm long and 7 cm thick, coppa is red in color due to the pigmentation of the muscle, which the fat prevents from drying out.
