Non-VegetarianFriulana cuisine Main Course

Brovada e Muset

Name: Brovada e Muset
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Friulana
Ingredients: 1 whole muset; 600 g brovada dop; 30 g lardo; 50 g pancetta; 2 cloves Garlic; 2 whole Bay leaves; 250 ml light meat broth; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper

Brovada e musèt is the definitive Friulian winter dish: fermented pink turnips stewed with lard and bay, served with thick slices of boiled pork-snout sausage.

🇮🇹Italy· Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 120 min
Total: 135 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 680 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

1 whole muset — Friulian pork-snout sausage, approx 600g; raw cotechino works well as an alternative
600 g brovada dop — grated fermented turnips in grape marc; rinsed briefly if very acidic
30 g lardo — cured pork fatback, finely minced, or good lard
50 g pancetta — unsmoked, finely diced
2 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
2 whole Bay leaves — dried or fresh
250 ml light meat broth — warm pork, beef, or vegetable stock
½ tsp Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
½ tsp Black pepper — freshly cracked

Equipment

•Large stockpot
•Heavy-bottomed casserole
•Toothpick
•Slotted spoon
•Carving board and sharp knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 680 kcal
fat: 60 g
carbs: 8 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 28 g
calories: 680 kcal

Instructions

1
Prick the muset casing evenly in several places using a toothpick to prevent it splitting during cooking.
2
Place the sausage in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring slowly to a very gentle simmer.
3
Cook the muset uncovered on low heat for two hours, maintaining a bare simmer without boiling hard.
4
Melt the minced lardo in a heavy casserole over medium heat, then add the diced pancetta and crushed garlic.
5
Fry until the pancetta renders its fat and the garlic turns pale golden, then discard the garlic cloves.
6
Add the drained brovada and bay leaves to the casserole, tossing well to coat in the hot pork fat.
7
Pour in the warm broth, cover with a lid, and simmer gently on low heat for 45 minutes until tender.
8
Remove the lid for the final ten minutes of cooking to let any excess liquid reduce.
9
Season the stewed brovada with freshly cracked black pepper and a small pinch of salt if needed.
10
Lift the hot muset from the broth, transfer to a board, and slice into thick rounds.
11
Spoon the hot brovada onto warm plates and arrange the muset slices alongside immediately.

Chef's tips

Simmer the muset very gently on the lowest setting; rapid boiling will burst the skin and wash away the rich gelatinous texture. If vacuum-packed Brovada DOP is unavailable, coarsely grate fresh purple-top turnips and simmer them gently with red wine vinegar, bay, and water for a quick homemade alternative.

Ingredient substitutions

muset → raw Italian cotechino or a coarse gelatinous fresh pork boiling sausage
Brovada DOP → coarsely shredded white turnips stewed with 3 tbsp red wine vinegar and bay, or mild drained sauerkraut
lardo → traditional Friulian pestât, pork lard, or extra virgin olive oil

Storage

Store leftover sliced muset and stewed brovada separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat the brovada in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water, and warm the muset slices gently in the steam above it.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling the sausage vigorously, which ruptures the casing and makes the meat dry.
•Over-salting the brovada before tasting, as the cured pancetta and muset already contribute plenty of salt.
•Rinsing the brovada excessively under running water, which removes its characteristic fermented wine-pomace aroma.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot with a generous mound of soft yellow cornmeal polenta.Accompany with a robust Friulian red wine such as Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso or Schioppettino.