Holstein Ham gets EU protection
The European Commission has granted legal protection to a ham from the northern German state Schleswig-Holstein, preventing meat traders from selling ‘Holsteiner Katenschinken’ unless it is made in its home area by traditional production.
Brussels has added the ham to its register of protected designations of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indications (PGI). Holsteiner Katenschinken is round-cut, salted by hand and slowly cold-smoked over beech wood.
“The entire production process, from the delivery of the meat to the maturing of the whole ham, takes (...) at least four months,” said a Commission note, which stressed its “strong red colour with slight marbling (...).a pleasant, natural smoky smell and taste, mainly of beech wood”.
