Cariani or Bevagna’s Umbrian Porchetta

Cariani is an Umbrian family-owned company that has been operating since the 1960s.
Its founder, Enrico Cariani, started business by commercializing pigs on the local market. About twenty years ago, his son Giuliano, the current owner, implemented the processing of pork meat and porchetta. Today Cariani is a leader among porchetta manufactures in Central Italy.

The head offices and the cutting-edge laboratory are located in Montefalco (PG), close to the town of Bevagna. The laboratory is one of a kind, both in terms of dimensions and characteristics. Covering an area of 900 sqm, it features 5 cold stores - to stock the butchered pigs and to cool down and refrigerate cooked porchettas -, and two large rooms. One room is dedicated to meat processing, whereas the other has a capacity of up to 8 double ovens.

Currently, the factory has a full productive capacity of 12,000 porchettas.

The company is CE 9-2207/L certified.

The typical Umbrian porchetta is produced according to a precise production cycle.
Firstly, the right pigs need to be selected. The ideal pig is bred in Italy – even better if it comes from an Umbrian sty -, 7/8 months old, and weighing 100/130 kgs, though smaller or bigger pigs might also be used.
After undergoing a whole series of veterinarian checks in strict compliance with EEC regulations, the butchered pigs are deboned, but not beheaded. Then, they are seasoned using salt, pepper, and herbs (rosemary, garlic, and wild fennel) and wrapped around a stainless steel pole ready to go into the oven. The ability of a good “porchettaro” lies in the skilful dosing of the herbs and in the right filling of liver.
The pork is cooked for 6/7 hours at an average constant temperature of 200°C. This allows the fat to melt and further flavour the meat, while keeping the skin fragrant and crispy for many days. Once cooked, the pork is placed in the cold storage room to rapidly abate its temperature to below 10°C., in order to avoid any bacteria growth.