Mortadella Recipe

Prepare and chill

Cut the pork shoulder and pork back fat into 1" cubes. Keep meat and fat very cold; chill the bowl and grinder parts in the freezer for 15–20 minutes so the mixture stays below 40°F (4°C) during processing.

Place cubed pork shoulder in the freezer for about 20–30 minutes until slightly firm but not frozen solid. Keep fat cubes very cold; return to the refrigerator when not processing.

Grind meat (coarse)

Using a refrigerated grinder or chilled bowl, grind the chilled pork shoulder through a 1/4" (6 mm) plate once. Transfer the ground meat to a chilled bowl and keep on ice or in the refrigerator.

Emulsify to fine paste

In a food processor or meat grinder with fine plate and bowl scrapers, process the ground meat in batches with about 1–2 tablespoons of ice and some of the cold water to start forming a smooth paste. Pulse or grind repeatedly until a homogeneous, very smooth, emulsified paste forms (mortadella should be a fine, spreadable emulsion). Add nonfat dry milk powder, granulated sugar, salt, curing salt, white pepper, coriander, nutmeg and peeled garlic (minced) to the meat paste. Continue processing until mixture is sticky and cohesive and registers about 50–55°F (10–13°C). If mixture warms, stop and chill before continuing. Total processing time can be 6–10 minutes in a commercial mixer; in home processors do small batches and keep cold.

If mixture looks grainy, add a tablespoon of ice water and continue processing until smooth. Taste is unsafe at this stage because of curing salt; adjust seasonings only by small test batches.

Fold in the pistachios, 1/4" cubed pork fatback, and whole black peppercorns by hand into the meat emulsion so they remain intact and evenly distributed. Do not overmix — you want distinct visible inclusions.

Reserve about 2–3 tablespoons of the fatback cubes and pistachios to hand-stir into the top portion of the filled casing for visual distribution if needed.

Soak the casing if required by manufacturer instructions, rinse inside and out. Fit casing onto a stuffer or funnel and tightly pack the emulsified meat into the casing. Avoid large air pockets; use a sausage pricker to release any trapped air.

Fill casing to a firm, even density — mortar-like but with some give. Leave about 2–3 inches of headspace. Twist the casing into log lengths as desired (one large mortadella or several smaller logs). Tie ends and occasional sections with butcher twine to hold shape and keep a cylindrical form.

For a classic large mortadella shape, form one cylinder about 2.5–3" in diameter and up to 10–12" long. Bind with twine every 2–3 inches to keep shape during poaching.

Bring a large pot of water to a temperature of 165°F (74°C). Reduce heat to maintain a gentle poach at 158–160°F (70–71°C). Use an accurate probe thermometer to hold temperature steady.

Submerge the filled and tied mortadella in the water bath, supporting with a rack so it is fully covered. Poach until internal temperature reaches 152°F (67°C), which typically takes 50–90 minutes depending on diameter. Monitor with a probe thermometer inserted into the center of the mortadella.

Once 152°F (67°C) is reached, remove mortadella and immediately transfer to an ice bath to cool rapidly to below 40°F (4°C). Rapid cooling helps set the emulsion and maintain food safety.

When fully chilled (1–2 hours), remove from ice bath, pat dry, and refrigerate overnight for flavors to relax and the texture to firm up before slicing.

Unwrap and slice thin using a sharp knife or meat slicer. Mortadella is traditionally served cold in thin rounds. Use on sandwiches, antipasti platters, or diced in salads.

Store refrigerated up to 7 days wrapped tightly, or freeze slices for up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator before using.