Charcuterie

Definition: Charcuterie

March 13, 2007

Charcuterie

French term that is derived from "char cuit" which means "cooked meat." It is mostly (but not exclusively) a reference to cooked or processed pork products such as sausage and terrines.

It can also refer to the place where the charcuterie is sold, similar to a delicatessen.

So you could buy charcuterie at the charcuterie from the charcutier (which literally means "pork butcher").

You can learn more from the book Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn ($22.05).

10 Comments

Ladytronic 5 years 49 weeks

our charcuterie has lot's of statues of pigs in suits and riding bicycles in it, but the saussicise is mouthwatering

celebrity_soup 6 years 5 weeks

i bet i ate this loads of times, but didnt know its name

Mme Hart 6 years 10 weeks

Mmmmm charcuterie!!Although, and I could be wrong, I have never heard of it coming from the words char and cuit. The French verb charcuter means to cut and the French adopted this for the noun and adjective for someone who works with smoked and cured meats to not confuse with the boucher or the butcher who works with fresh meats. While cuit does refer to cooking, char is a wagon in French.Regardless...I adore charcuterie and I have a great charcutier!

Mme Hart 6 years 10 weeks

Mmmmm charcuterie!! Although, and I could be wrong, I have never heard of it coming from the words char and cuit. The French verb charcuter means to cut and the French adopted this for the noun and adjective for someone who works with smoked and cured meats to not confuse with the boucher or the butcher who works with fresh meats. While cuit does refer to cooking, char is a wagon in French. Regardless...I adore charcuterie and I have a great charcutier!