Lonzu — Corsican Cured Pork Tenderloin AOP
Corsica, France — island-wide production zone. AOP 2012.
Lonzu is the cured pork tenderloin of Corsica — a lean cylinder of pale rose muscle that hangs in the cantina alongside prisuttu and coppa, completing the island's AOP charcuterie triad. The loin is trimmed of excess surface fat, rubbed with sea-mineral-salt and dried herbs of the maquis — principally nepita (Corsican calamint) and rosemary — then pressed and tied in natural casing before its five-month minimum hang. Because the tenderloin carries less intramuscular fat than coppa or prisuttu, the cure must be calibrated precisely: too much salt and the lean becomes chalky; too little and the centre fails to dry through. The finished lonzu is sliced almost paper-thin, revealing a gradient from ivory surface to blush-pink interior, with an aromatic profile dominated by the island herbs rather than the animal fat. On every Corsican plateau and in every village épicerie, lonzu is the introductory cut — the first thing a visitor is offered alongside a glass of Patrimonio rosé or Niellucciu. AOP since 2012.
Pale rose lean, faint casing sweetness; nepita herb prominent on nose; clean, lightly saline finish with no residual fat coat on the palate.
Lean muscle requires shorter but more controlled cure than fatty cuts. Temperature fluctuation during the five-month hang causes uneven moisture migration and colour banding. Nepita herb is the differentiating aromatic — it cannot be substituted with European mint (Mentha spp.) without fundamentally changing the flavour profile.
Lonzu pairs with fresh brocciu and chestnut honey in the traditional Corsican plateau breakfast pattern. The off-cut ends — too irregular for clean slicing — are diced and folded into omelettes or scattered across pulenda as a finishing element.
Curing in plastic casing rather than natural gut — the lonzu needs to breathe through the casing for even drying. Hanging in direct draught without humidity regulation causes case-hardening. Slicing at refrigerator temperature — fat in the casing solidifies and the slice tears.
INAO AOP Lonzu specification; Stromboni, La Cuisine Corse
- Lombo di maiale stagionato (Ligurian pork loin cure — Genoese cognate)
- Lomo embuchado (Spanish cured loin — parallel technique, different herb profile)
The complete technique entry — including what separates Reserve from House, the sensory cues that tell you when it's right, the exact ingredients at species precision, and verified suppliers filtered to your region.
Open The Kitchen — $4.99/monthCommon Questions
Why does Lonzu — Corsican Cured Pork Tenderloin AOP taste the way it does?
Pale rose lean, faint casing sweetness; nepita herb prominent on nose; clean, lightly saline finish with no residual fat coat on the palate.
What are common mistakes when making Lonzu — Corsican Cured Pork Tenderloin AOP?
Curing in plastic casing rather than natural gut — the lonzu needs to breathe through the casing for even drying. Hanging in direct draught without humidity regulation causes case-hardening. Slicing at refrigerator temperature — fat in the casing solidifies and the slice tears.
What ingredients should I use for Lonzu — Corsican Cured Pork Tenderloin AOP?
Sus scrofa domesticus — Porcu Nustrale preferred; AOP mandates Corsican-born and raised animals.
What dishes are similar to Lonzu — Corsican Cured Pork Tenderloin AOP?
Lombo di maiale stagionato (Ligurian pork loin cure — Genoese cognate), Lomo embuchado (Spanish cured loin — parallel technique, different herb profile)