Mocetta – Italian Alpine Cured Beef

Name: Mocetta (Motzetta)
Total time: P6W
Ingredients: 28 g Nitritpökelsalz (0,4–0,5% Nitrit); 4 g Zucker; 4 g Wacholder, frisch gemörsert; 3 g Rosmarin, getrocknet; 2 g Thymian, getrocknet; 3 g Schwarzer Pfeffer, grob gemahlen; 5 g Knoblauch, frisch gepresst; 1 g Lorbeerblatt, gemahlen

Curing MixBeefCold SmokingMedium6–8 weeks10–15 °C

Mocetta is a traditional air-dried beef from the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, cured with alpine herbs and juniper. Originally made from chamois or ibex meat, beef is predominantly used today. The result is an aromatic, herb-rich dried meat with fine seasoning.

Ingredients(for 1 kg)

Curing salt (0.4–0.5% nitrite)28 g

Sugar4 g

Juniper berries, freshly crushed4 g

Rosemary, dried3 g

Thyme, dried2 g

Black pepper, coarsely ground3 g

Fresh garlic, pressed5 g

Bay leaf, ground1 g

Instructions

Dry Curing

14–21 days

Mix all ingredients into a homogeneous mass and rub the meat intensively on all sides. Place in a vacuum bag or store in a covered, non-metallic container in the refrigerator at 2–4 °C. Turn every 2 days.

Equalization

1–2 days

Rinse the meat cold and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rest on a wire rack at 4 °C uncovered in the refrigerator for 24–48 hours so the salt distributes evenly.

Drying & Aging

4–5 weeks

Pull the meat into a ham net and hang to ripen at 10–15 °C and 65–75% humidity. Ensure good air circulation. Ready at 30–35% weight loss – the meat should be firm on the outside but still slightly yielding inside.

Pro Tip

Fresh alpine herbs such as juniper, rosemary and thyme give Mocetta its characteristic aroma. For a more authentic note, dried wild herbs such as mountain thyme can also be used.

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