What is “fuet”? What is the difference between “fuet” and “longaniza”?

You have probably asked yourself this question more than once. They have a similar shape and taste, so what differences do they have? Does this type of sausage have more names or varieties? This questions and some others will be answered here today, so keep reading if you want to know more!

What are they made of?

The first thing we need to know is that they all share the same base: pork, bacon, salt and natural or synthetic casings.

In addition to these ingredients, they can also contain a variety of spices (some of which are very common, such as pepper), as well as additives that add nuances to their flavour.

Once the dough is stuffed, it will be hung to start the curing process that will give the product its texture and typical shape.

It is for this reason that all the varieties have a similar flavour, since both the ingredients and the drying process are very similar.

What varieties are there?

If the base is the same, what makes them different? Basically, the calibre, size, and origin. Depending on these variables, we can find:

• “Longaniza”: This is the most common name for this type of sausage. There are many varieties, but their most common characteristic is a length of between 50 cm and 80 cm and a diameter of between 5 and 10 cm.

• “Fuet” o “tastet”: This is probably the sausage that is most associated with Catalan gastronomy. It was originally a small sample of the future longanizas to see if the product was up to standard. It is a bit smaller tan the “longaniza”: it is about 40 cm long and about 4 cm in diameter.

• “Secallona”: It is the thinnest sausage of all varieties. Its name comes from the Catalan word “secall” which translates as something very dry and little. It is usually very cured.

• “Didalets”: These are a miniature version of “fuet” or “longaniza”. They are used as a snack and their average size is half a thumb.

• “Somalla”: It is a bit thinner than fuet and more elongated. Its characteristic lies in its elongated horseshoe shape.

Why do they have such a distinctive white colour?

This coating, which can be seen on the outside of the pieces, is created during the drying phase. The water inside the product is gradually expelled towards the outside, causing the outside of the sausage to become damp, which leads to the proliferation of mould. To prevent these moulds from being dangerous for our health, starter cultures are used. They are beneficial to the product because they prevent pathogenic or harmful moulds from flourishing. This is what we call white flora.

If you want to know more about these and other cold meats, don’t forget to visit the rest of the posts on our website. And remember that if you want to try these and other varieties of products, you can find them in our physical stores as well as in our online shop.