Lake Garda, Trentino shore — specifically the areas around Riva del Garda and the Ledro valley. The Lake Garda microclimate (Mediterranean, surprisingly mild) permits curing conditions not available in the rest of Trentino. The carne salada tradition is documented from the 16th century.
Carne salada is the remarkable salt-cured raw beef of the Lake Garda area (specifically the Trentino shore of the Garda) — lean beef topside (noce or silverside) cured for 15-20 days in a brine of salt, aromatic herbs (rosemary, sage, bay, juniper berries, black pepper, and optionally lemon zest and garlic), resulting in a product served raw, sliced thin, bright red and firm, with a clean, herb-forward flavour that is neither bresaola nor carpaccio but a distinct Trentino product. Unlike bresaola (which is air-dried after curing), carne salada is served wet-cured — not dried. It is one of the most delicate cured meat preparations in Italy.
Carne salada served at room temperature, sliced thin, is bright red and firm — the salt cure has transformed the raw beef texture to something between sashimi and bresaola. The herb perfume (rosemary, juniper) is present but restrained; the flavour is clean, savoury, and slightly mineral. With olive oil and rocket, it is a study in understatement.
Choose a whole, well-trimmed beef topside (noce) of 1.5-2kg. The brine: 40g salt per litre of water, with the aromatics listed above. Submerge the beef completely in the cold brine and refrigerate for 15-20 days — turn the meat daily. At the end of curing, the meat should be evenly coloured throughout (uniformly red, not grey at the centre). Slice thin (1-2mm) with a sharp knife or slicing machine. Serve at room temperature, dressed with a very few drops of good extra-virgin olive oil, and accompanied by rucola and shaved Grana Trentino.
Carne salada is often served as a carpaccio: sliced very thin, dressed with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, rocket, and shaved Grana Trentino. A light scattering of capers completes the preparation. The raw cured meat has a clean, herb-scented flavour that is nothing like cooked beef — the salt cure has transformed both texture and taste. The Lake Garda microclimate (the warmest in the Trentino region) is the origin of this preparation.
Insufficient curing time — 15 days minimum is required for the salt and herbs to penetrate completely to the centre. Insufficient salt concentration — a too-dilute brine allows spoilage; the 40g/litre is a minimum. Using fatty cuts — lean topside is required; fat does not cure evenly in wet-brine. Not slicing thin — thick slices change the texture from delicate to chewy.
Slow Food Editore, Trentino-Alto Adige in Cucina; Giorgio Locatelli, Made in Italy