The value of artisanal production

In artisanal production, the hand of the person doing the job is essential. “Handmade” is a valuable quality across all sectors, from fashion to furniture, from jewelry to carpentry. However, when it comes to artisanal cured meats, it means even more.

In the industrial production of cured meats and sausages, most of the work is done by machines. The logic is that of the assembly line: many quick steps to produce as many identical batches as possible in the shortest possible time, more like factories than producers.

This system is not for us. Meat is anything but an anonymous, replicable piece. Our project is based on very different values: respect for the animal and time, protection of local gastronomic culture, and artisanal expertise.

It all starts with the animal and its well-being

Our pigs are genetically perfect. Born from the crossbreeding of Cinta Senese and Large White, they provide an excellent quantity of meat with a good proportion of marbling fat, which is the highlight of our products. However, an exceptional animal isn’t enough for an exceptional product. How it lived and what it ate are two essential factors.

The Grigio del Casentino® pigs live semi-wild in the woods of Casentino, feeding on what nature provides according to the seasons. We do not give them any drugs to speed up their growth, but instead, we respect the rhythm of nature and give our pigs all the time they need to follow their instincts in their natural habitat.

Authentic processes, like those of our grandparents

Even an animal raised like this doesn’t guarantee an exceptional product. Between the farm and the plate, there’s a crucial step for quality, processing.

Slaughtering and butchering

The first steps are slaughtering and butchering, and already here you can see the differences between industrial production and artisanal craftsmanship. In the former, meat is divided quickly. When the sole aim is profit, there’s no time to carefully examine each specimen and assess its potential.

Those who do this work on an artisanal level, however, know this well: no two pigs are alike. Massimiliano, our “norcino” partner, evaluates in real-time, case by case, which cuts to allocate to which cured meats. The goal isn’t to force production but to bring out the best from each animal.

Another substantial difference is that large-scale productions process raw material according to the specific cured meats to be produced without going outside the standard products. This results in two things (which we don’t like at all): waste and standardization.

Besides enhancing every animal, we make the most of it. We don’t produce just any good, and we don’t work with just any other material. Rather, we work with the meat of animals that have been under our care for 14 months. Slaughtering a pig to make two hams for us is inconceivable.

Nothing from the pig goes to waste, first out of respect and then because all meat is precious and should be valued. Try our capaccia or our sambudelli, and you too will fall in love with the so-called scraps.

Ingredients and aging methods

As we’ve seen, meat processing differs greatly between industrial and artisanal production, but ingredients and aging methods also change quite a bit. In short, cured meats “factories” do not disdain chemistry at all in order to speed up processes and eliminate risks. The aesthetics must be important too, judging by the neon pink hues you see in supermarket refrigerators.

We don’t like neon pink. We prefer the true color (and flavor) of pork. In our artisanal cured meats, we use natural and genuine ingredients, such as herbs and wild fennel, the scent of our fields. Like any good pork butcher worth his salt, we also have a secret curing method, a recipe that has been handed down for generations and which we jealously guard.

Zero dyes, preservatives, allergens, nitrites or nitrates. We wait as long as it takes and work only with temperature and humidity to create a high-quality artisanal product.

Local supply chain with real kilometers

The gulf between industrial and artisanal products comes from the type of farming, butchering and ingredients, but also from the project’s philosophy.

Whoever buys a Grigio del Casentino® product supports a local reality, deeply rooted in the territory for generations now. Each product that comes out with our brand is a piece of our story, which is not defined by large-scale operations or shortcuts, but by hard work, passion, and principles.

It all falls within the real kilometer concept, the guarantee of sustainability for the consumer. Our piglets are born here, raised here, slaughtered and processed here, in an ethical and sustainable cycle.

Grigio del Casentino® artisanal cured meats are not like any other. We chose a hybrid pig with unique genetic qualities and decided to raise it as it was done in the past, in a semi-wild range and with a natural diet.

Furthermore, we decided not to aim for mass production but for the enhancement of each single animal with tailored cuts and natural seasonings. Zero chemicals, zero compromises.

The result is local, artisanal, ethical, and sustainable production. For us, a project to be proud of. For you, the assurance of a product of a different caliber.