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Mortadella is a cooked sausage with a fine paste. It differs from products from other countries that may resemble it (the clear-cured sausage-type sausages) in that the very fine paste is obtained by grinding the meat in special mincing machines and not, as is done for similar sausages, in shredders or cutters. This process does not result in emulsions that retain the water or fat added to better blend the mass. In mortadella, in fact, no water is added and the fat is incorporated in the form of cubes, ensuring a mixture that tends to be lean. This is then stuffed into natural or synthetic casings and cooked for hours at a low temperature.
Round in shape, mortadellas are found on the market ranging in weight from 500 grams to 1,000 kilograms. The paste of the sausage should be firm and pink in color, interspersed with the white of fat cubes. Mortadella has a delicate, savory and spicy flavor. It should be kept in cool premises, never damp, or in the refrigerator until consumption.
