Mortadella Recipe

Prepare meat and fat

Cut the pork shoulder into 2–3 cm cubes and keep chilled. Cut the 200 g pork back fat into 2–3 cm cubes and keep chilled. Chill all bowl(s), blade(s), and grinder parts in the freezer for 15–20 minutes before grinding to keep mixture cold.

Grind the meat

Using a chilled grinder fitted with a medium plate (4–6 mm), grind the pork shoulder and the 200 g back fat together once. Return the ground mixture to a chilled bowl and keep cold.

Emulsify the meat

Place the ground meat mixture in a food processor or stand mixer with the cutter blade. Add the garlic, salt, sugar, curing salt, ground black pepper, coriander, mace (or nutmeg), dry white wine and about half of the ice water (60 ml). Process in short bursts, scraping down frequently, until the mixture becomes a smooth, sticky, slightly pasty emulsion (this may take 3–6 minutes). Add remaining ice water a little at a time if needed to reach a smooth, tacky texture. Keep mixture cold between bursts.

Chill the emulsion

Transfer the emulsified mixture to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to firm up slightly before stuffing. If mixture warms, re-chill until cold but pliable.

Prepare pistachios and cubed fat

Coarsely chop the pistachios so you have small pieces rather than powder. Toss chopped pistachios and the 150 g chilled 5 mm cubed pork fat with 2 g coarse sea salt. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.

Assemble the loaf

On a sheet of plastic wrap or in a small loaf mold (about 900 g capacity), spread half of the mortadella emulsion into a flat, even layer about 1–1.5 cm thick. Scatter about half of the pistachio-and-fat mixture over it. Add the remaining emulsion on top and press gently to remove air pockets; distribute the remaining pistachio mixture intermittently so pistachio/fat pockets are throughout. If using plastic wrap, form into a tight cylinder or log about 20–24 cm long, twisting ends to compact; then wrap tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap and tie ends. If using a mold, press firmly to compact and cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Prepare poaching liquid

Bring 2 liters of water to a gentle simmer with the bay leaf and peppercorns. Do not boil; maintain a steady simmer around 80–85°C (176–185°F). If you have a thermometer, this is ideal. Adjust heat to keep temperature stable.

Poach the mortadella

Lower the wrapped or molded mortadella gently into the simmering water. Poach for 60–75 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the center reaches 68–72°C (154–162°F). If you used a thermometer probe, check temperature at the center. Keep water gently simmering; turn the log occasionally for even cooking.

Cool and press (optional)

Remove mortadella from the poaching liquid and transfer to an ice bath or very cold water to stop cooking and set the texture, about 20 minutes. If you want a denser, uniform cross-section, place the log in the refrigerator under a weighted board (light press) for 4 hours or overnight.

Slice and serve

Unwrap the mortadella, slice thinly with a sharp knife or slicer. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature on sandwiches, antipasti boards, or with bread.