Charcuterie
Charcuterie (/ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/ ⓘ, shar-KOO-tər-ee, also US: /ʃɑːrˌkuːtəˈriː/ ⓘ, -EE; French: [ʃaʁkyt(ə)ʁi] ⓘ; from chair, 'flesh', and cuit, 'cooked') is a branch of French cuisine devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork.[1]
Charcuterie is part of the garde manger chef's repertoire. Originally intended as a way to preserve meat before the advent of refrigeration, they are prepared today for their flavors derived from the preservation processes.[2]
Terminology[edit]
The French word for a person who practices charcuterie is charcutier. The etymology of the word is the combination of chair and cuite, or cooked flesh. The Herbsts in Food Lover's Companion say, "it refers to the products, particularly (but not limited to) pork specialties such as pâtés, rillettes, galantines, crépinettes, etc., which are made and sold in a delicatessen-style shop, also called a charcuterie."[3] Montagné in his 1938 edition of Larousse Gastronomique defines it as "[t]he art of preparing various meats, in particular pork, in order to present them in the most diverse ways".[4]