In the countryside of Sannio and Irpinia we have often come across grazing cattle with a white coat, imposing and placid. They belong to the breeds behind Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale PGI, a protected beef involving several Italian regions, Campania included. Here is what the designation involves.
A PGI since 1998
Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale (white young beef of the Central Apennines) is a Protected Geographical Indication registered by the European Union in 1998. The production area follows the Apennine ridge and includes parts of Tuscany, Umbria, the Marche, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise and Campania. In Campania it mainly concerns the provinces of Benevento and Avellino.
Three white breeds
The PGI is reserved for purebred cattle, both male and female, of the following breeds:
- Chianina, the most famous, originally from the Val di Chiana;
- Marchigiana, originally from the Marche;
- Romagnola, originally from Romagna.
They are ancient breeds, once also used for work in the fields and now selected for beef production. Their pale coats make them easy to recognise when you travel through the areas where they are raised.
What the production rules require
The rules mainly concern the animals' age and diet:
- slaughter takes place between 12 and 24 months of age;
- calves are raised on natural suckling from their mother until weaning;
- after that, their diet is based on fresh or preserved forage, with the addition of simple or compound feed;
- in the four months before slaughter, neither silage nor industrial by-products may be used.
Each approved carcass bears the designation's mark on the various cuts, together with the breed: when you buy, this is the sign to look for. At the butcher's counter, don't hesitate to ask which of the three breeds the cut comes from: it is information that is part of the designation and helps you choose.
In the kitchen
It is a lean, firm and flavourful meat that lends itself to many preparations: from chargrilled steaks to roasts, all the way to slow-cooked Sunday sauces. We recommend trying it grilled, with little seasoning, alongside a local red such as an Aglianico.
Where to taste it and nearby
In Campania, look for it at butchers and trattorias in Sannio, around Benevento, and in Irpinia, around Avellino. For a complete journey through meat and wine, read Aglianico del Taburno DOCG, Taurasi DOCG wine and What to eat in Benevento, as well as our guide to Campania's DOP and IGP products.
Sources: Qualigeo – Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale IGP; Production specification (Regione Marche).
Top photo (Benevento): Dэя-Бøяg, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
