‘Nduja is a spreadable salami that originates from the Calabria Region in Southern Italy. The renowned spreadability comes from the fact that this salami is made with a 60 – 90% fat content in the meat block! It is normally made using belly, lean shoulder and back fat to get the meat block to the desired level of fat. The meat is then ground and seasoned with salt and Calabrian Chiles. The resulting product has a chunky smooth texture, that’s deep red and delightfully spicy. The origin of nduja is a bit contested and there are several theories about its provenance. One theory is that nduja takes inspiration from the French sausage andouille, a sausage made from pork tripe and a staple of Napoleon’s soldiers during the occupation of Calabria in the early 19th century. Others believe that it comes from 15th century Spanish invaders who brought peppers back from the New World with them. Spain has a similar fermented sausage called Sobrassada which is spreadable but not quite as spicy. However, everyone agrees that the community of Spilinga in Calabria is where the spicy spread originates.
