Collagen film capicola

Coppa or Capicola is an abbreviation of the Italian Capocollo, which in turn comes from the Latin “caput collum” and means neck, as pork neck meat is traditionally used to make this charcuterie delicacy. It can also be made with pork loin, which has much less fat than the neck.It is not difficult to make capicola at home, but it is laborious as it takes a lot of time and you need to understand the processes involved to be sure of what is being done. At first, the ideal is to follow the recipe exactly, but with experience you can change it according to your preferences. Always keep everything well sanitized.

In this capicola I tested the use of collagen film, which is a versatile and practical wrapper that can be applied to meat of any thickness. In addition to the canopy, it can also be used in other products that will undergo a long maturation process.

Capicola ingredients and processes

Capicola cure

• Pork neck – 826g;
• Salt – 2% – 17g;
• Curing salt 2 (6% of nitrite, 3% of nitrate and 93.75% of salt) – 0.25% – 2g;
• Antioxidant (with sodium erythorbate) – 0.25% – 2g (optional);
• Sugar – 5g – 0.5%.

The curing process is the beginning of production, it is the moment of salting and distribution of the curing salt, which is sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, to understand better about curing salt go to Curing salt. The antioxidant is optional but aids in the healing process and helps prevent lipid oxidation or fat rancidity.

Cut the piece of meat into 10 cm segments to make it easier to handle and store the finished product. When purchasing a piece of overcoat, it may include part of the rib bones and a little of the loin. Remove all the bone. The loin can be used as it is difficult to identify and separate perfectly from the piece.

Apply the salt, curing salt and antioxidant to the meat, massaging well to spread and distribute evenly. Place the piece in a container with a lid or in a tightly closed plastic bag and leave it in the refrigerator for 15 days.

Capicola seasoning

• Brown sugar – 10g;
• Black pepper – 1g;
• Nutmeg – 1g;
• allspice 2g;
• Smoked paprika – 2g;
• Clove powder – 0.5g;
• Starter Culture (lactic acid bacteria) 0.1g – diluted in half a glass of water.

After the initial curing period, remove the item from the refrigerator, rinse it quickly and dry it with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Dilute the stater culture in water and spray or spread it with your hands over the piece. Prepare a mixture with the dry seasoning ingredients and apply by massaging well into the meat for complete distribution.

Casing and maturation

collagen film
Elastic net 50mm or 65mm – 15cm

After seasoning the piece, wrap it in the collagen film and apply the starter culture again to ensure its distribution. Wrap it in an elastic net to press and facilitate handling, tie the two ends and use an improvised hook or clips to hang the piece in a dark environment, with a mild temperature, around 14 degrees and high humidity, between 70% and 80%. In my case, I used a wine cellar with temperature control and a pot filled with water at the bottom to maintain humidity.

The Capicola will be ready when it loses between 30% and 40% of its initial weight. If you want a softer and smoother product, only let it lose 30%, if you want a firmer Capicola with a stronger flavor, leave it until it loses 40%.

During the COPA I lost weight as follows:

27/09 – 826g – 100% – starting weight
08/10 – 655g – 79%
10/29 – 534g – 64% – loss of 36% of initial weight

Final result

The product was excellent, with just the right amount of salt and very tasty, but not too spicy. I prefer to feel the flavor of the meat, so I don't apply too much seasoning, I prefer a product that resembles raw ham rather than the flavor of spices or pepper.