Innviertler Surspeck

 
Record Number: 66
 
Disclosure Date
The method of processing Innviertler Surspeck has been known for generations in farm households and can be safely traced back to the 18^th  century.
In 1807 the Austrian author J. Blau described speck as the “main delicacy” of the Upper Austrian region Innviertel.
 

Photo: BM...

Title
Innviertler Surspeck
(Innviertler cured speck)
   
 
Abstract or claim
Innviertler Surspeck (cured speck) is produced, processed and prepared in the geographical area of the Innviertel.
The knowledge about the production method and the use of spices has been passed down from generation to generation in the rural region of Innviertel.
Todays’ generally accepted standard for the commercial production of Innviertler Surspeck has evolved from that individual tradition passed down.
Innviertler Surspeck is produced by curing exclusively the back-fat of pigs (exclusively) with salt in vats. It is ripened in the brine for at least six weeks. The back-fat comes from the pig breeds Large White, Landrace and Mangalitsa as well as from crossings between these breeds.
 
Name of product, Product class
Speck, meat products
 
Name of region
Innviertel, Upper Austria, Austria
 
Field of search
Food and Agriculture
 
Name of information provider
Herta Tiefenthaler
Naturschule St. Veith
 
Name of applicant for title
---
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
Pig breeding enterprises and butchers in the region of the Innviertel
 
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---
 
Descriptors
- History:
Since the Ancient World cured speck has been known all over Europe.
The curing of meat and meat products is one of the oldest preservation methods for food (China: 2200 B.C.) and was for many centuries the only way of preserving meat for a longer period.
A salt cask for the preservation of meat products was present in nearly every farm household.
In the past this kind of speck was also called “Kübelspeck” (bucket speck) as it was cured in wooden or stoneware buckets.
 
The method of processing of Innviertler Surspeck has been known for generations in farm households and can be safely traced back to the 18^th  century. As early as in the 19^th  century the author Josef Blau mentioned large life stocks of pigs in the region of the Innviertel and referred to speck as the “main delicacy” of this Upper Austrian region.
 
While Innviertler Surspeck was regarded as main staple diet fifty years ago, the increased awareness of a healthy lifestyle resulted in a decrease in the consumption of the fatty speck. Consequently, farmers greatly reduced the rearing of so-called high-fat pigs.
 
- Region:
The Innviertel (official name “Innkreis”) is an Austrian region between the rivers Salzach, Inn and Danube and the ridge of the Hausruck hills.
The Innviertel is the north-western of the four quarters of the Federal Province of Upper Austria.
The Innviertel is 2,250 km² large and is inhabited by about 200,000 people. It spans the districts of Schärding, Ried im Innkreis and Braunau am Inn.
The Innviertel shows a pre-alpine, densely inhabited hilly landscape.
 
The “Surspeck region” extends from the municipalities Geinberg, Altheim, Mettmach, and St. Johann im Walde via Riegerting, Lohnsburg and Waldzell to Weng and Braunau.
 
Climatic and soil conditions:
The Innviertel is situated in the continental climate zone and is characterized by heavy rainfalls in summer. The middle-heavy, sandy and often lightly gritty soils are able to drain off heavy rainfalls rapidly and are, therefore, particularly well suited for outdoor pig keeping.
 
- Innviertler Surspeck (Innviertler cured speck):

Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman

Raw material:
Raw material for Innviertler Surspeck comes from pigs of the breeds Large White, Landrace and woolly pig (Mangalitsa) as well as from crossings between these breeds.
 
Method of production:
Innviertler Surspeck (cured speck) is produced, processed and prepared in the geographical region of Innviertel.
 
Pigs:
In the Innviertel region pigs are kept on farms by extensive husbandry. Depending on the needs of the pig breeds, the animals are held in piggeries (Large White, Landrace) and outdoors (Mangalitsa).
 
Farrows are suckled by the sows during the first 12 weeks of their life. Then they are fed with barley, rye and milk produced on the farm or, if not available, produced within the region. Silage fodder is banned.
 
Transport and Slaughtering:
The transport distance from piggeries to the EC approved slaughterhouses in the Innviertel is short and the transport is as stress free as possible for the pigs.
After slaughtering, the carcasses are chilled in a cold storage room for one day.
Living pigs and carcass halves are controlled by veterinarians according to legislative provisions.
 
Method of Surspeck production:
After slaughtering and cooling the fat tissue of the back is cut off and the rind is removed by local butchers. Pigs having a living weight of 400 kg yield about 80 kg of back speck.
Then butchers or farmers produce Innviertler Surspeck from the back speck.
Innviertler Surspeck is cured exclusively with salt in vats; there is no curing with nitrates or nitrites.
 
The back speck is cut into approx. 30 cm long and 10 cm broad slices and dry-cured with stone salt and garlic in order to preserve the natural taste of the bacon. Spices such as shredded juniper berries, peppercorns or bay-leaves may be added.
 
The curing takes place in plastic vats in order to guarantee best hygienic conditions.
 
The speck stripes have to be put into the container carefully to avoid air chambers. Finally, the plastic container is sealed airtight and weighted down with a lid (e.g. filled with quartz sand). In the developing brine the speck is pickled and matured for at least 6 weeks. Matured Innviertler Surspeck is beautifully soft and tender. The matured Surspeck is retailed in unpacked or vacuum-packed form.
In a cold store, Innviertler Surspeck can be stored for up to one year.
 
Taste and appearance:
Innviertler Surspeck mainly consists of fat (97%).Thus the fat content is higher than required by the Austrian Codex Alimentarius for rind-less bacon from the pig’s back (90%).
Innviertler Surspeck is characterized by its remarkable white and, partly pink colour. It is famous for its unique, aromatic taste and tenderness.
 
- Marketing:
Innviertler Surspeck is marketed directly at the farm as well as by butchers, on farmers’ markets and in gastronomy.
 
- Proof of origin:
Pigs are identified by means of the official ear-tags or tattoo stamps. Pig stock and operators (breeders, slaughterhouses, trader etc.) are registered in the Austrian Veterinary Information System (VIS) of Statistics Austria.
 
Connection with the geographical area and Traditional Knowledge:
- Specific soil and climate conditions in the region of the Innviertel allow for the extensive keeping of
  the endangered breed Mangalitsa (woolly pig).
- Characteristic rearing systems: Piggeries for Large Whites and Landrace and free range keeping of
  woolly pigs (Mangalitsa).
- A strong link with the area: Pigs are fed with barley and rye produced on-farm or within the region.
- The back bacon’s unique aroma and flavour are directly related to the breed and to the traditional
  curing with salt in vats and maturing in the brine.
- The production of Innviertler Surspeck is the result of Traditional Knowledge passed down from
  generation to generation: the Traditional Knowledge and expertise of pig-farmers (adapting the
  management to the needs of the breed, the method of keeping pigs outdoors) as well as the
  know-how of farmers and butchers (curing exclusively with salt in vats).
 
- Utilization
Innviertler Surspeck is usually cut into wafer-thin slices for traditional snacks or is cut into small cubes to stuff dumplings. These traditional dumplings ("Innviertler Surspeckknödel") are served with sauerkraut or mashed potatoes.
 
Protection:
-
 
Key Words
Food and Agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Upper Austria, region, Innviertel, speck, Surspeck, Innviertler Surspeck, cured speck, back speck
 
Bibliography / References
- Arche Austria
  http://arche-austria.at
- Dummerstorfer Wissenschaftler leisten einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Erhalt bedrohter Nutztierrassen
  http://www.innovationsreport.de/html/berichte/agrar_forstwissenschaften/bericht-66712.html
- Eingesurt und aufgetischt - Innviertler Surspeck
  http://www1.innviertel.at/196.html
- Genussregion Innviertler Surspeck
  http://www.genussland.at/produkte/produzenten/detail/1334851/genussregion-innviertler-surspeck.html
- Initiative Lebensraum
  http://www.innviertel.at/
- Innviertel
  http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.i/i572580.htm
- Innviertel
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innviertel
- Innviertel
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innviertel
- Innviertler Surspeck
  http://www.genuss-region.at
- Interessensgemeinschaft der Wollscheinzüchter Österreichs
  http://home.tele2.at/wsnaweb/IGWOE/
- Josef Blau: Volkskundliche Beobachtungen auf einer Reise durch den Böhmerwald, Oberösterreich,
  das Salzkammergut und Salzburg im Jahre 1807
  http://www.volkskundemuseum.at/bilder/OEZV-INDEX.pdf
- KT-FREILAND-Empfehlung - Ganzjährige Freilandhaltung von Mastschweinen 
  www.freiland.or.at/?download=empfehlung-Mastschwein-Freiland.pdf&PHPSESSID=81b6cedbcf3d3a1ed33504c7b88fa198
- Kulturschwein
  http://www.bio-noah.at/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=34
- Maier-Bruck, Franz: Vom Essen auf dem Lande. Fleischgerichte. In: Das große Buch der
  österreichischen Bauernküche und Hausmannskost. Verlag Kremayr & Scheriau: Wien: 1995. p. 247.
- Mangalica-Schwein
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangalica-Schwein
- Mangalitsa
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Mangalitza
- Pökeln
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suren
- Qualitätshandbuch für Fleisch und Fleischverarbeitung
  http://copyright.lebensministerium.at/article/articleview/54469/1/4981/
- Qualitätshandbuch für Fleisch und Fleischverarbeitung Teil 2 der Dokumente
  http://land.lebensministerium.at/article/articleview/54470/1/4981/
- Regiona, traditionell, nachhalitg, gesund- der "Innviertler Surspeck"
  http://www.oekonews.at/index.php?mdoc_id=1022837
- Schweinerassen
  http://schweinefreunde.de/schweine/schweine-rassen/wollschwein1.htm
- Schweinerassen: Edelschwein
  http://www.rund-ums-schwein.at/index.php?id=rassen
- Verein zur Erhaltung gefährdeter Haustierrassen
  http://www.vegh.at
- Wollschwein/Mangalitza
  http://www.permakultur.at/themen/tiere/schweine/Wollschwein_Mangalitza.html
 
All internet references last accessed on 5 September 2008.
 
Language Code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
 
Regional contact
Hertha Tiefenthaler
Naturschule St. Veith,
5374 St. Veith, St. Veith 35,
Phone: 07723 60 18
E-mail: georg.tiefenthaler@tele2.at
 
Authors: Mag. Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
 

28.07.2010, Lebensministerium III/4