Only the Speck produced according to the original South Tyrol Speck method is entitled to the name “Speck Alto Adige PGI” (protected geographical indication).
Speck Alto Adige PGI owes its uniqueness to the traditional production rule „a little salt, a little smoke and lots of fresh air “. The one common element shared by all small and large Speck producers is the artisan nature of their work, and above all their compliance with the five production phases, which comply with the severe regulations that safeguard the quality of authentic speck.

The secret to a high quality finished product is high quality raw materials. For this reason only lean, firm pork thighs coming from renowned and controlled farms are used for the production of this typical Italian smoked ham. The thighs are selected according to the criteria defined in the raw materials specifications and trimmed following traditional methods. They are branded with the date of production start, as an inerasable guarantee and a reference for later inspections.

The Speck hams are salted and flavoured with a special mixture of aromas (salt, pepper, juniper, rosemary and laurel). They are then dry-corned for three weeks at controlled temperatures and turned over various times to help the corning penetrate. The mixture of aromas is the phase in which producers can lend a personal touch to their product, each with their own personal, secret recipe handed down through the generations, the only restriction being the final salt content that must never exceed 5%.

After dry-corning, the hams are exposed alternately to the smoking and to the drying phases. The smoking phase is light and is done over low-resin wood so as not to give the Speck too strong a flavour, and smoke temperature must never exceed 20°C. Only in this way Speck acquires its inimitable, finely spiced aroma.

The smoked hams are hung up to dry in rooms pervaded by the clean, fresh air of the South Tyrolean mountain valleys. The ageing period is defined according to the final weight of the ham, and usually lasts about 22 weeks, during which time the Speck hams lose part of their initial weight and acquire their characteristically firm consistency. In this phase, a natural layer of aromatic mould forms on the hams and is then removed at the end of the ageing process. The mould layer finishes off the characteristic taste of Speck Alto Adige and prevents it from becoming excessively dry.

To guarantee the quality and authenticity of Speck Alto Adige, the Consorzio Tutela Speck Alto Adige, together with the independent control institute INEQ (Istituto Nord Est Qualità), has developed a system for verifying compliance with the imposed quality parameters throughout all production phases, from meat selection to finished product. Inspectors have free access to the production sites at all times for the execution of controls such as: checking the aging time and the consistency of the hams, including the “spillatura” (puncturing) process for olfactory assessment, sample measurement of the salt content.

Only the speck that meets the stringent production criteria imposed by the production standards and that has passed controls is fire-branded in 4 different places with the specific seal. This provides purchasers with the guarantee that they are about to enjoy a unique regional speciality. The „Speck Alto Adige PGI” (protected geographical indication) brand is the guarantee of top quality and of unique regional speciality.