- The Curesmith
Felino dry-cured sausage is one of the great meat-forward salamis of northern Italy, a sausage whose reputation is tied not just to method, but to place. It takes its name from Felino, the town just outside Parma in Emilia-Romagna with which this style is historically associated. The protected product is widely known as Salame Felino IGP, and its identity is rooted in that Parmense tradition.
What makes Felino so appealing is its restraint. Traditionally, it is made from pork with a relatively simple seasoning profile, often centred on salt, pepper, and only a few supporting aromatics. The emphasis is not on a loud spice mix. It is on the quality of the meat, the balance of lean and fat, the texture of the grind, and the way the sausage presents when sliced. Descriptions of Salame Felino consistently highlight its delicate flavour, ruby-red lean, visible white fat, and medium to coarse texture.
That is exactly why I like it. This is another one of those sausages where both meat flavour and appearance matter. A good Felino should look beautiful on the board. The slice should be clean, the fat definition should be clear, and the overall impression should be elegant rather than aggressive. It is a sausage that rewards good pork and careful handling, because there is very little to distract from the fundamentals.
Traditionally, Felino is not a particularly spicy salami. Its character is usually described as sweet, delicate, and fragrant, rather than hot. That measured approach is part of its appeal, because it allows the pork to remain at the centre of the experience. At the same time, I understand the temptation to push the spice a little from time to time. A touch more heat can work well, provided it stays in the background and leaves only a gentle tingle rather than overwhelming the sausage. The classic style, though, is built on restraint.
Another part of Felino’s identity lies in its traditional casing and maturation style. References to the product commonly note the use of natural casing, including the thicker budello gentile, and a curing tradition linked to the microclimate of the Parma area. That helps explain why Felino is so often described with a texture that stays supple and refined rather than dry and harsh.
A personal note: What I enjoy most about Felino is the honesty of it. Like fuet, like saucisson sec, and like other simple European salamis, it asks the meat and the process to do the heavy lifting. There is nowhere to hide. If the pork is good, if the fat is clean, and if the fermentation and drying are handled well, the result is deeply satisfying without ever becoming showy. That, to me, is the mark of a truly fine dry-cured sausage.
NEW TO DRY-CURED/ FERMENTED SAUSAGE MAKING?
Dry-cured and fermented sausage making is widely regarded as one of the most demanding aspects of charcuterie for curesmiths. For that reason, we generally recommend that beginners first focus on simpler whole-muscle cures, allowing them to develop a sound understanding of dry-curing principles and to refine their technique with greater confidence.
Once you are ready to begin making dry-cured and fermented sausages, we encourage you to consult our Dry-Cured Sausage Making Guide. It sets out the process step by step and is designed to help you produce successful dry-cured and fermented sausages from the very beginning.
GET THE DRY-CURED SAUSAGE MAKING GUIDE >>>
Health & Safety Disclaimer
By using any recipe on The Curesmith you automatically agree to our terms and accept that The Curesmith cannot be held liable for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from its use. Click to read the full disclaimer.
Purpose and scope
The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.
Limitation of liability
The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.
Nitrite and cure safety
Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:
- Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
- Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
- Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
- Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.
Food hygiene and cross-contamination
Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.
Temperature control
Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.
Uncooked cured products
Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.
Bacon and other uncooked cured products
Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.
When in doubt, seek professional guidance
If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.
Commercial production
These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.
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the recipe
For dry-cured sausage we default to 1000g as the base weight — this makes the ingredient ratios easy to read and understand at a glance. The recipe scales to any batch size: simply change the weight in the box above and all amounts update automatically.
| Meat & fat | ||
| Pork shoulder | 100% | 1000 g |
| Pork back fat | 20% of total mix | 200 g |
| Split the back fat into two equal portions. Grind one half through a 6mm plate and the other through a 10mm plate. This produces a mix of fine and coarse fat particles that gives Felino its characteristic marbled appearance. | ||
| Total mix | 1200 g | |
| Cure & salt | ||
| Salt (additional) | 2.0% of total mix | 21.2 g |
| Cure #2 is approximately 94% sodium chloride. This additional salt, combined with the salt already in the cure, brings the total to your 2.0% of total mix target. | ||
| Cure #2 | for 156 ppm | 3.00 g |
| Seasoning | ||
| Dextrose | 0.50% of total mix | 6.0 g |
| Dextrose is preferred for fermented sausages as it is more predictable with starter cultures. If substituting sugar, use 60% of the dextrose weight. | ||
| Sugar quantity for this recipe: 3.5 g | ||
| Black pepper, ground | 0.22% of total mix | 2.65 g |
| Garlic powder | 0.18% of total mix | 2.12 g |
| Fennel seeds | 0.18% of total mix | 2.12 g |
| Lightly toast the fennel seeds before use to release the aromatic oils. Do not grind — keep them whole for the characteristic texture of Felino. | ||
| Red wine (Chianti) | 6.0% of total mix | 72 g |
| Use a dry Chianti or similar Tuscan red. Chill to below 4°C before use and weigh — do not measure by volume. Add to the farce last, after all other ingredients are fully incorporated. | ||
| Starter culture | ||
| Flora Italia LC | 0.13g per kg | 0.13 g |
| Distilled water (to dissolve culture) | 20g per kg | 20 g |
| Flora Italia LC dose: 0.13g per kg of pork. If you do not have a precision scale, use 1g — you cannot meaningfully overdose a starter culture. Dissolve in the distilled water shown above before adding to the meat. This ratio is based on the manufacturer’s label recommendation of 25g per 200kg of meat. It is important to check the label of your specific product as dosage recommendations do vary by region and supplier — update accordingly. T-SPX is a suitable alternative if Flora Italia LC is unavailable. Both are mild cultures well suited to traditional Italian-style fermented sausages. |
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