Meat from the Podolica Calabrese breed, a Slow Food Presidium

The Podolica Calabrese breed is a cattle breed of very ancient origins, reared throughout the Southern Apennines (including the regions of Campania and Puglia). The Calabrese breed is characterised by a number of distinctive features: it is a hardy animal, capable of adapting easily to rugged terrain and foraging where other breeds would struggle. In the past, it was used primarily as a draught animal and, to a lesser extent, to produce meat and milk. Although the milk yield is low (around 1.5 tonnes per year), it is of exceptionally high quality and is often used to produce a premium Caciocavallo Silano PDO cheese. How can you tell the  Podolica Calabrese breed apart from other Sila cattle? It has a grey coat, tending towards a darker shade (lighter in females), and slender, light crescent-shaped horns in males (lyre-shaped in females). Podolica Calabrese cattle graze outdoors all year round, as they find the confined space of the stables uncomfortable. 

This is why  Podolica Calabrese meat is particularly flavourful, rich in vitamins and minerals, and more firm on the palate if not matured properly. Its high carotene content gives the fatty parts a slightly yellowish colour, and its growth rates are slower than those observed in intensively reared breeds. In short, it is meat for connoisseurs! The high quality of  Podolica Calabrese meat is the result of a combination of factors: the breed’s genetics, a healthy diet, free-range rearing and proper management of the slaughtering process. This is why  Podolica Calabrese meat is so lean and healthy, low in cholesterol and rich in essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6). 

Due to its characteristics, the  Podolica Calabrese breed grazes mainly in Mediterranean scrub: among the bushes, stubble and foliage of the Sila woodland undergrowth, which is its natural habitat, in the provinces of Cosenza, Catanzaro and Crotone. When managed properly, the  Podolica Calabrese breed represents a valuable asset for the entire regional livestock sector: both in terms of reclaiming marginal areas and challenging pastures that would otherwise remain unused, and in terms of producing meat of superior quality. To enjoy it at its best – that is, as a zero-kilometre product – it is advisable to go directly to the breeders and those who work with the prized  Podolica Calabrese beef all year round: livestock farms and educational farms, which also teach children about ‘slow’, fair and ethical farming and the latest extensive rearing techniques.

To enjoy an excellent  Podolica Calabrese steak, either on its own or as part of a delicious mixed grill with other meats, simply visit one of the many agritourism establishments and restaurants in the Sila area (although  Podolica Calabrese meat is now available throughout the region). Would you like to sample and buy the delicious Caciocavallo di Podolica? Visit one of the many dairies scattered throughout the park, where the mildness of the flavour combines with the charm of an ancient Calabrian craft.