Overview
Lucanica di Picerno is a Basilicata PGI pork sausage distinguished by a clear aroma of wild fennel. It may be encountered in fresh or matured forms governed by the protected specification.
Where it's from
Climate. Basilicata (ancient Lucania) and the south.
Altitude. Southern hills
The cut

How to recognise it
The sausage is curved or horseshoe-shaped, with a red pork interior, clean white fat and an unmistakable fennel aroma. The filling must be cohesive rather than greasy or hollow.
Origins and history
Picerno and neighbouring Basilicata communities have a long tradition of making lucanica from selected pork after the winter slaughter. Wild fennel, abundant in the local landscape, became the defining seasoning and the basis of the product's protected reputation.
- Production today
- Protected production under the applicable specification.
- Protection
- PGI
- Tradition vs modern
- The registered process and product identity control.
Compare with. Lucanica
Serving and cultural significance
Fresh forms are cooked; matured forms are sliced. The fennel-led profile links the sausage closely to Basilicata's pork and herb traditions.
Recipe and cure
This protected child record documents the official product identity. It does not yet contain a Curesmith home recipe.
Curesmith home adaptation — not designation-compliant
Make this — the measured Curesmith version →The cure below is the traditional reference. “Make this” opens the measured Curesmith home recipe, scaled to your batch.
Traditional or protected production
The PGI specification controls the pork cuts, fennel seasoning, processing municipalities and all production stages. Current specification amendments must be checked at each publication update.
- Meat
- pork
- Salt (%)
- official protected specification controls
- Curing salt
- official protected specification controls
- Other agents
- official protected specification controls
- Fermented
- Yes
- Smoked
- No
- Target aW or weight loss
- official protected specification controls
- Temperature (°C)
- official protected specification controls
- Humidity (%)
- official protected specification controls
- Maturation
- official protected specification controls
- Basis
- protected specification
- Style
- Protected traditional process
Method
- Follow the complete official protected specification and conformity system.
- Do not substitute the generic parent recipe or a Curesmith house method for the registered process.
Notes
- The official protected specification controls the named product. Any Curesmith EQ, starter-culture, curing-salt or home-scale adaptation is a separate method and must not be presented as designation-compliant.
Safety. Protected-specification process controls this product. Any home method requires separate technical validation.
In the Codex
What this product teaches, and where to read more.
Temple. Roof, Water Activity