Description: The Chouriço Mouro de Portalegre PGI is a smoked sausage made from the meat, fat, blood, heart and kidneys of the Alentejana breed of pig with the addition of sweet or hot paprika, salt, garlic and sometimes cumin and local wine.
Production method: Meat and fat, cut into pieces of between 2 cm and 2,5 cm, and the finely chopped offal with the seasoning and water are mixed to a paste and left to marinate for three days at a temperature of less than 10 °C in 80-90% humidity. The resulting mixture is stuffed into the casing (natural beef intestine). The sausages are then smoked for about ten days over oak fires.
Distinctive features: The characteristic flavour of Chouriço Mouro de Portalegre PGI is largely due to the utilization of offal and fat from Alentejo pure-bred pigs with an acorn-rich diet.
Production area: Chouriço Mouro de Portalegre PGI is made throughout the Portalegre district.
History: Chouriço Mouro de Portalegre PGI is part of a wide range of traditional sausage from the Portalegre region, developed throughout the centuries in order to cope with the concentration of pork supply in a short period of the year, and taking advantage of an enabling micro climate influenced by the Serra de São Mamede and from the know-how of the local population. This led to the development of local traditional techniques of pork processing and conservation by processes of salting and drying.
Product specification (pdf)
Producer group
NATUR-AL-CARNES - Agrupamento de Produtores Pecuários do Norte Alentejano, S. A
Control and certification body
Publication in EU official journal
Regulamento (CE) n.º 1875/97 da Comissão de 26 09 1997 - L 265/26
JOCE C24 de 24.1.1997 – publicação do período de oposição
Publication in the Portuguese official journal
Rectificação n.º 2940/2000 – 30.11.2000
Aviso n.º 7820/2000 – 06.05.2000