The History of Salami

It’s not known where or when this beloved food was first made, but we do know that it belonged to a group of foods called salsum (meaning “salted”) in Roman times. (Salting is a longstanding method of preserving perishables like meat.) Salame (“salami” is actually the plural form!) is usually made by wrapping salted pork meat in the skin of the animal (usually the pig’s intestines). There are over 300 varieties of salami in Italy today. Each region is famous for its own type and many of the salami are made using methods and recipes that date back hundreds of years. The oldest type is made in northeastern Sicily, in Sant’Angelo in Brolo. The meat used to make it comes from a special breed of pigs called Nero di Nebrodi. While other countries have their own ways of making salami, these salt-cured meats have always held a special place in Italian cuisine and are therefore most closely associated with Italy.