Lonzo de Corse

A Corsican cured whole-muscle pork loin produced exclusively from pigs of the local Nustrale breed, salted, dry-cured and matured for a total of at least three months, with a minimum maturing phase of one month conducted in a natural environment. The finished product weighs between 0,5 kg and 1,1 kg dry weight and is presented in a pork casing or lined with pork kidney fat.

About this designation

Lonzo de Corse / Lonzo de Corse — Lonzu is a designation of origin covering a dry-cured pork loin produced entirely within Corsica. The specification restricts raw material to pigs of the Nustrale breed, slaughtered between 12 and 36 months of age, with carcass weights between 85 kg and 140 kg and back-fat thickness between 2,5 cm and 6 cm. Only the fillet and rack are used, yielding four pieces per pig; the fresh piece weighs between 0,7 kg and 1,5 kg. Any procedure involving negative temperatures, including freezing and quick-freezing, is forbidden. Salting, dry-curing and maturing together last at least three months, of which the final maturing phase lasts at least one month and must take place in a natural environment. The finished dry product has a length between 15 cm and 30 cm, a dry weight between 0,5 kg and 1,1 kg, a fat-to-lean ratio between 25 % and 35 %, a salt content between 6,5 % and 10 %, intramuscular lipids of at least 5 %, and an oleic acid content of at least 45 %. The lean meat presents a humidity rate of 35 % to 50 %. The product may be sold whole, or in vacuum-packed slices or portions with a minimum weight of 200 g. Protection was granted under file number PDO-FR-0994, with EU protection dating from 26 April 2012.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 26 April 2012 under file number PDO-FR-0994, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014292.
• The specification permits only pigs of the Nustrale breed, slaughtered between 12 and 36 months of age; no other breed is permitted.
• Any procedure involving negative temperatures — including freezing and quick-freezing — is expressly forbidden for the raw meat.
• The total production process (salting, dry-curing and maturing) lasts at least three months, with the final maturing phase of at least one month conducted exclusively in a natural environment.

Tasting notes

Corsican cured pork loin (analogous to Italian lonza) from Nustrale pigs, aged minimum 4 months. Deep red lean meat with thin fat cap, firm texture, intense savory pork flavor with characteristic Corsican-maquis aromatic profile from chestnut-acorn diet.

HoReCa use

The source describes Lonzo de Corse / Lonzo de Corse — Lonzu as an early seasonal product served as a starter, consumed mostly during the spring season as a common and everyday consumer product, with a consumption period extending from February to September.

Packaging

• whole-piece-vacuum-1-1.5kg
• deli-sliced-vacuum-100g
• gift-sliced-pack-200g