The Hungarian salami, or as we call it “téliszalámi,” is one of the most popular and most important meat products of the country. The earliest and most successful Hungarian salami producing brand is Pick, which is one of Hungarians’ most beloved brand of salami. Reasons why Pick salami is so special and popular (even on an international level) are summarized in an article by magyarorszagom.hu.
A Hungarian trader, Márk Pick was inspired by Italian sausages, and in 1869, he decided to make a similar meat product in Hungary. The Pick company started to produce the salami with the help of skilled Italian workers in Szeged.
If you are visiting Szeged by any chance, in the Pick Salami and Szeged Paprika Museum, you can learn everything there is to know about Pick, and you can get samples of the famous salami and paprika.
Large scale production started in 1885. After a while, Pick salami was nothing like the original Italian sausage that inspired Márk Pick. The company hired Hungarian butchers who started using more and more Hungarian ingredients and customized the product.
The Pick salami is made entirely from natural ingredients.
The meat and fats are processed and cut up with special knives instead of using machines. The unique flavour of the salami is the result of the combination of the secret spices and the special layer in which the salami goes through an aging process after smoking. The white outer-layer of the salami also protects it from rancidity.
In the early days (up to 1950), the salami could only be produced from October to March when the weather was colder, because the manufacturing process required strict temperature control. Where the salamis were being dried, doors had to be open and closed periodically.
The finished and untouched product must not be stored in the fridge. It needs to be stored in a cold and dry place where it does not get direct sunlight. If you store it right, the salami is quite durable, and it preserves its original flavour up to three months.
Since the first Pick téliszalámi was produced, many different variations came into being. Today, you can purchase all kinds of Pick of salamis, such as paprika or garlic flavoured ones. Pick salami can be purchased in almost every single store in Hungary.
Pick might not be the cheapest brand you can find in the stores, but it is for sure a quality product. If you are visiting Hungary, I would definitely recommend trying it out.
Source: www.magyarorszagom.hu
