Cured meat

Cured meat is a general term for meat products that have been preserved or flavoured through smoking, salting, curing or a combination of these methods. This category includes hams, salamis, sausages, frankfurters, bacon, brawn and many other products. Cured meats have a distinctive, salty and often smoky flavour, and are a popular component of cold platters, sandwiches, pizza, pasta and soups. They have a long culinary tradition across Central Europe and are a staple of both everyday and festive cooking. Their shelf life is significantly longer than that of fresh meat.