DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns a seasoned meat product and the relative production process. Such a process has been studied with particular reference to a cold cut product, where by this term we mean a seasoned meat product made from pork, however it can also be applied to products made with any other type of meat.

Historically, cold cut products are products that were born from the need to preserve meat, and they have developed into their current form over the course of the centuries. After tests and experiments, which are now long-forgotten, they have reached excellent balance between taste and production methods that have been passed down to us.

Given the enormous variety of existing cold cut products and the need to preserve the meat and to give it flavour, it is nowadays difficult to think of the possibility of inventing a new seasoned meat product, and especially a cold cut product.

The purpose of the present invention is that of overcoming this prejudice, and in particular making a new high-end seasoned meat product, i.e. with high flavour and quality characteristics of the meats. A further purpose of the present invention is that of making a seasoned meat product, preferably a cold cut product, with high class taste and seasoning characteristics by using an anatomical part of animals that is less expensive and less used. A yet further purpose of the present invention is that of making a seasoned meat product, preferably a cold cut product, with a new shape, which makes it possible to be sliced by hand in a new and unusual manner, so as to attract the interest of diners, for example during gala nights or while dining in restaurants.

In addition to hand slicing, it is a purpose of the present invention to also allow the product to be sliced by a machine.

Another further purpose of the present invention is that of providing a preserved meat product, preferably a cold cut product, which is able to be sliced easily and practically. Another further purpose of the present invention is that of providing a seasoned meat product, preferably a cold cut product, that minimises the part wasted during production and while being consumed.

Yet another further purpose of the present invention is that of providing a seasoned meat product, preferably a cold cut product, that is easy to make.

Yet another further purpose of the present invention is that of providing a seasoned meat product, preferably a cold cut product, that can be made by exclusively using natural ingredients, in particular without non-natural seasoning additives.

According to its first aspect, the invention concerns a process for making a seasoned meat product as defined in claim 1, that is to say a process for making a seasoned meat product comprising the following steps:

- arranging at least one part of a front limb of an animal, preferably pork, comprising the shoulder;

- obtaining a separate portion containing the humerus sectioning the at least one part according to a cutting line that starts from a predetermined point and that is substantially tangent to an ideal line identified by the caudal margin of the scapula, said predetermined point is located substantially where the cranial margin of the front limb begins to project beneath the body of the animal;

- seasoning the at least one separate portion of limb comprising the humerus.

In general, the anatomical part corresponding to the front limb, and in particular to the shoulder, contains by its very nature a great amount of different muscles, and is therefore very heterogeneous, both in terms of the thicknesses of the meat and in terms of the orientation of the fibres. Consequently, the seasoning of the front limbs, conventionally separated according to the section cut 45a of figure 2, is not very popular since it is difficult, heterogeneous and often faulty, thus leading to huge waste during consumption. The salami industry therefore moved away from this product a long time ago. The applicant, after many tests, has surprisingly discovered that the section cut according to the present invention unexpectedly makes it possible to obtain a seasoning of the different muscle fibres that is substantially even as well as practically nullifying the number of faulty products due to a good level of seasoning not having been reached. Finally, the Applicant has unexpectedly discovered that seasoned meat products are not substantially subject to attacks from parasites, such as for example "Piophila Casei". Finally, the section cut according to the present invention makes it possible to immediately direct the fresh meat from the shoulder, which does not take part in the seasoning process, to other types of processes.

Preferably, the cutting line according to the present invention ideally passes in a point of the humerus located below its proximal end.

According to a particularly favoured embodiment, the separate portion is also without the proximal end of the humerus. As shall be made clearer in the description, this makes it possible, during consumption, to obtain big sized slices even near to this bone. For practical and aesthetic reasons, said separation of the proximal end of the humerus preferably comes before the seasoning step.

In general, it is preferable for said section to obtain a separate portion without at least the scapula and the portions of meat located between the scapula and the outside of the animal and between the scapula and the inside of the animal in a direction that is perpendicular to the medial plane.

Particularly satisfactory results are obtained by adopting a seasoning that comprises at least one salting step and/or at least one smoking step.

In general, it is preferable for the separate portion of limb comprising the humerus to undergo seasoning with the rind. This indeed regulates the speed and the regularity of the seasoning, in particular, it slows it down making it homogeneous as well as allowing the fat present to take up a pleasant taste.

For practical reasons the separate portion of limb comprising the humerus undergoing seasoning preferably comprises the forearm of the limb, and yet more preferably the hand of the limb, so as to define a tapered grip.

According to a preferred embodiment, the seasoning comprises at least the following steps: - salting;

- washing;

- first resting step at first room conditions; - second resting step at second room conditions;

In general, in the first resting step, the at least one separate portion of limb comprising the humerus is kept in an environment with a first humidity and a temperature for a first time period; in the second resting step, the at least one separate portion of limb comprising the humerus is kept in an environment with a second humidity that is greater than the first humidity and a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature for a second time period that is greater than the first time period.

Preferably, the washing is carried out with water and food-safe alcohol. Between the first and second resting step there is optionally a plastering step of possible parts without rind. The plastering is particularly effective in preventing the meat from oxidising if it is carried out with a mixture comprising flour and/or starch, salt, pepper and lard.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first resting step is carried out in an environment with a humidity comprised in the range [55%, 75%] and a temperature comprised in the range [16°C, 20°C] and has a duration comprised in the range [30, 60] days; the second resting step is carried out in an environment with a humidity comprised in the range [75%, 85%] and a temperature comprised in the range [13°C, 16°C] and has a duration longer than 120 days.

According to its second aspect, the invention concerns a seasoned meat product as defined in claim 12, that is to say a seasoned meat product comprising at least one portion of a front limb of an animal, preferably pork, located below an ideal line that starts from a predetermined point and that is substantially tangent to the caudal margin of the scapula in a plane that is parallel to the medial plane of the animal, said predetermined point is located substantially where the cranial margin of the front limb begins to project beneath the body of the animal.

Preferably, said ideal line passes in a point of the humerus located below its proximal end.

According to one particularly advantageous embodiment, the product does not comprise the proximal end of the humerus of said front limb. In such a manner the slicing can cut to a greater depth, reaching near to the humerus without reducing the dimensions of the slice.

Preferably, the product according to the present invention comprises the forearm of said front limb, and even more preferably even the hand. The preferred embodiments of the product according to the present invention are delimited by an edge with a portion that is substantially rectilinear and inclined with respect to the ideal direction of the humerus, so as to help support the product resting on a flat surface while being sliced by hand.

According to its third aspect, the present invention concerns a seasoned meat product according to claim 18, that is to say a seasoned meat product comprising at least one portion of shoulder of a front limb of an animal, preferably pork, characterised in that said portion of shoulder is tapered in a manner such as to substantially converge in a point opposite to the hand of the limb, such a tapering substantially beginning from an exit point of the humerus from the shoulder. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention shall become clearer from the following detailed description of its preferred embodiments, given with reference to the attached drawings and given as an indication and not for limiting purposes. In such drawings :

- figure 1 is taken from an anatomical table of the book "Anatomia Comparata dei Mammiferi Domestici" by Robert Barone, Edagricole, and schematically shows the bone structure of the front limbs of a pig;

- figure 2 schematically represents a product according to the present invention according to a medial view and in an intermediate step of the production process;

- figure 3 schematically represents a product according to the present invention at the end of the production process; and

- figure 4 schematically represents the gripping and the preferred slicing direction of the product of figure 3. In the rest of the present description we shall refer for the sake of simplicity to a seasoned meat product made with pork, however the use of other types of meat are not excluded.

With reference to figure 1, a pig 1 is shown and its bone structure of a front limb 2.

In the present description, and in the following claims, by medial plane M we mean a plane that is parallel to the plane of the sheet of paper in figure 1 and passing through the centre of the animal. Consequently, we shall call "medial view" of an anatomical part that which is observed from a point inside the animal and located on the medial plane M, and "outside view" of an anatomical part that which is observed from a point outside the animal. By caudal direction we then mean, the direction towards the tail of the animal, and by cranial direction we mean the direction towards the head of the animal. Finally, by proximal end of an anatomical part of a limb 2 we mean the end closer to inside the central body of the animal or trunk 3, and by distal end we mean the end farthest from such a central body 3.

As far as the bone structure in figure 1 is concerned, it is worth noting the relative position between the scapula 10, the humerus 15, the radius 20 and the ulna 25. In particular, the scapula 10 comprises a caudal margin 13, i.e. facing the tail of the animal, that defines, in a plane that is parallel to the medial plane M, an ideal line C substantially passing straight below the proximal head 18 of the humerus 15. The humerus 15, is on the other hand substantially directed, in the direction of its length, according to a second ideal line S that is inclined according to the ideal line C, and both the radius 20 and the ulna 25 are directed, in the direction of their length, substantially according to a third ideal line T that is inclined with respect to the other two lines.

The aforementioned bones are inside the front limb 2 of the pig, including the shoulder 4.

With reference to figure 2, a medial view, corresponding to an observer located on the inner medial plane M while looking outwards, of a part 7 of the animal comprising the front limb 2, is shown together with the shoulder 4. The part 7 is shown while it is still attached to the trunk 3.

The broken lines 45a and 45b ideally indicate the outline of the shoulder 4, as well as the cutting line conventionally used for detaching the limb 2 from the trunk 3 for making conventional seasoned shoulders.

The broken line 50 on the other hand indicates the cutting line for detaching the limb 2 from the trunk 3 according to the present invention. In particular, the cutting line 50 passes by a predetermined point A and is substantially tangent to the ideal line C identified by the caudal margin 13 of the scapula 10. Said predetermined point A is located substantially where the cranial margin 5 of the front limb 2, i.e. the margin facing towards the head of the animal, begins to project beneath the body 3 of the animal. Said cutting line ideally passes in a point of the humerus located below its proximal end 18.

The separation of the limb 2 from the trunk 3 continues according to the line 45b.

In practice, the cutting line 50, together with the cutting line 45b, makes it possible to obtain a separate portion of limb 55 comprising the humerus 15 and that portion of meat that in Italian is commonly called "fesone", and without at least the scapula and the portions of meat located between the scapula and the outside of the animal and between the scapula and the inside of the animal.

The portion of limb separated 55, preferably comprising the hand, the forearm 59, the rind 62 and its covering fat, is seasoned with a process that foresees for example at least one salting step and/or at least one smoking step.

Figure 3 shows the end seasoned meat product 60, in which it is clear that it is delimited by an edge with a portion 65 that is substantially rectilinear just like in the original direction tangent to the caudal margin 13 of the scapula 10. According to a possible variant, the seasoned meat product may also not comprise the hand 58 of the limb 2, for example being sectioned according to the line Z.

In other words, the seasoned meat product 60 comprising a front limb of a pig, is cut and seasoned in a manner such as to take up a shape that is similar to a mandolin. In particular, the shoulder 4 has a tapering that substantially converges in a point C opposite to the hand 58 and that begins substantially in a point B corresponding to the exit of the humerus. The head of the humerus 15 in such a point B is preferably removed.

The tapering lies on an ideal plane that is parallel to the medial plane M.

A man skilled in the art will understand that the present invention covers possible variations in shape due to the nature of the product.

Figure 4 shows the preferred gripping position of the seasoned meat product 60 for slicing before being eaten. As can be seen, the product 60 has a tapered leg portion 67 that can be gripped by the hand 70 of a user in a manner such as to keep the edge portion 65 in contact with a flat resting surface 72. In this position, the product 60 can be sliced according to a cutting line 75 substantially parallel to the line S of the humerus 15. Thanks to this provision, the part of seasoned meat that can be sliced, generating a big- sized slice, is greater with respect to the other slicing directions. Concerning this, also the bulk T of the radius 20 and of the ulna 25 should be noted.

It should be noted that the aforementioned slicing modality, together with the particular shape of the product 60, is similar to the act of playing a stringed instrument, in particular a mandolin, thus being choreographic and interesting for the diners.

We shall now describe a preferred process for producing the seasoned meat product 60.

Such a process foresees selecting pigs with an overall live weight of the animal that is greater or equal to 170Kg. In a subsequent step, the animal is slaughtered and the carcass is cooled down. After cooling the separate portion of limb 55 comprising the humerus 15 is removed according to the cutting lines 45b and 50 as already mentioned above. Preferably, in this step also the proximal end 18 of the humerus 15 is removed, more preferably substantially according to said cutting line 50.

In a subsequent step there is the trimming so as to round off possible rough edges of the separate portion of limb 55, and the draining, or squeezing, of the blood, the latter being carried out for example by applying a squashing force.

Preferably, a cooling of the separate portion of limb 55 is carried out in a cold storage at a temperature comprised in the range of [0°C, 2°C] for at least 2 days ;

Preferably, a further step of trimming the portion 55 that has been cooled, is carried out. It should be noted that the best results in the subsequent steps are obtained with separate portions 55 which after this step have a weight of between 6Kg and 7,5Kg.

Subsequently, there is a salting step which occurs by covering the portion 55 with salt and thus keeping it covered in an environment with a temperature comprised in the range of [3°C, 5°C] and a humidity that is greater than 85%. The time it is kept under salt varies from 4 to 6 days, where the longest period is for the portions 55 with greatest weight. The best results are obtained by using sea salt, preferably coarse and even more preferably coming from the salt deposits of the area of Cervia, Italy. It is also possible to add some spices to the salt so as to flavour and preserve the meat better, for example excellent results are obtained by adding black pepper and/or garlic. At the end of the salting step there is then a brushing step in which the salt which has not been absorbed is eliminated.

Optionally, but preferably, there is then an osmosis step, in which the washed portions 55 are kept in an environment with a temperature comprised in the range [3°C, 5°C] and a humidity that is greater than 85% for at least 15 days, so that the salt they have absorbed spreads evenly inside it through osmosis. At this point, or in addition or as an alternative to the brushing, if there is no osmosis step, there is then a washing step. Such a step is carried out for example by washing the portions 55 with warm water. Excellent results are obtained also with water and food-safe alcohol, where wine is particularly appreciated for the aroma it gives to the meat as well as for its disinfectant properties. White wine is preferred.

After washing there is then a first resting step, in which the portions 55 are kept in an environment with a humidity comprised in the range [55%, 75%] , more preferably in the range [60%, 70%], and a temperature comprised in the range [16°C, 20°C], more preferably in the range [17°C, 19°C] , for a period comprised in the range [30, 60] days. The best results are obtained by hanging the portions 55.

Once the first resting step has finished there is then optionally the plastering, which comprises covering the part without rind with a plaster, preferably natural, so as to avoid excessive oxidation of the meat. The preferred plaster comprises a mixture of flour and/or starch, salt, pepper, lard.

The plastered portions 55 then undergo a second resting step keeping them in an environment with a humidity comprised in the range [75%, 85%] and a temperature comprised in the range [13°C, 16°C] for a period greater than 120 days. Even in the second resting step the portions 55 are preferably hung. According to one variant it is possible to carry out a dehydration step between the washing step and the first resting step, with the purpose of eliminating as much water as possible from the portions 55. Such a step is preferably carried out by keeping the portions 55 washed in an environment with a temperature comprised in the range [19°C, 22°C] with a humidity that is greater than 55% for a period that is shorter than 36 hours. Preferably, the level of humidity and the temperature can vary during this step, in particular it is preferable for the humidity to initially be low and then gradually increased whereas the temperature is initially high and is then gradually decreased.

The man skilled in the art will understand that the parameters indicated are purely given as an indication and can undergo variations, just like it is possible to apply constant or variable temperatures or humidity in a single step. It is however preferable to apply a temperature in the second resting step that is lower than the temperature in the first resting step, and a humidity in the second resting step that is greater than the humidity in the first resting step.

Of course, the embodiments and the variants described and illustrated thus far are given purely as examples and a man skilled in the art, in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, may carry out numerous modifications and variants, amongst which for example the combination of said embodiments and variants, all moreover, covered in the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the following claims.