Description: Salpicão de Barroso—Montalegre PGI is a cylindrical-shaped, light brow coloured smoked sausage, with a diameter of 4-8 cm and a length of 10-20 cm, made from the meat of pure or cross bred Bísaro pigs, seasoned with salt, garlic, chilli and/or red bell pepper.
Production method: Loin and tenderloin are cut into small pieces, seasoned with salt, wine and garlic and left to marinate for up to 8 days at a temperature below 10 °C in a room with low humidity, after which pepper powder is added. This mixture is then stuffed into a casing and smoked over a low fire (mainly from oak wood) for approximately 30 days. Salpicão de Barroso—Montalegre PGI is placed on the market as a pre-packed whole sausage.
Distinctive features: The production of Salpicão de Barroso-Montalegre PGI depends greatly from the region's cold and dry climate, which forces every household to keep a fire burning at all times, thus providing unique conditions for smoking characterised due to a light and gradual smoke supply.
Production area: The geographical area for meat production encompasses the municipalities of Boticas, Chaves and Montalegre (area traditionally known as ‘Barroso’), in the Vila Real district. The geographical area for processing and packing encompasses the municipality of Montalegre.
History: Due to the geographic isolation of the Barroso region, the local diet, constituted mainly of bread, potatoes and pork, became essentially limited to the local production. The countless references to the taxation of pigs and pork products in various municipal registers, including that of Montalegre, demonstrate the antiquity and the importance of these activities in this region. Salpicão de Barroso—Montalegre PGI is an example of the preservation techniques locally developed and passed down from one generation to the next in order to assure pork meat availability throughout the year.
Product specification (pdf)
Producer group
Associação dos Produtores de Fumeiro da Terra Fria Barrosã
Control plan
Control plan (pdf)
Publication in EU official journal
Regulamento (CE) n.º 148/2007 da Comissão de 15 02.2007
Publicação do pedido de registo (2006/C 30/04), de 07.02.2006
Publication in the Portuguese official journal
Aviso n.º 7854/2001, de 8 de junho