Non-VegetarianFriulana cuisine Main Course

Musetto con Polenta

Name: Musetto con Polenta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Friulana
Ingredients: 1 piece fresh musetto sausage; 300 g coarse yellow cornmeal; 1.2 l Water; 15 g coarse sea salt; 30 g fresh horseradish root; 40 g dijon mustard

Musetto con polenta, called muset e polete in Friulian, is a classic winter dish of slow-simmered pork snout sausage served over creamy yellow polenta.

🇮🇹Italy· Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 180 min
Total: 190 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 680 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 6 gathered

Servings

1 piece fresh musetto sausage — approx 600g to 700g, Friulian pork snout sausage, left completely unpricked
300 g coarse yellow cornmeal — Friulian bramata or coarse polenta grain
1¼ l Water — for cooking the polenta
15 g coarse sea salt — for the polenta water
30 g fresh horseradish root — peeled and finely grated, to serve
40 g dijon mustard — sharp brown or yellow mustard, optional condiment

Equipment

•Large stockpot
•Heavy saucepan
•Wooden spoon or polenta stick
•Tongs
•Sharp carving knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 680 kcal
fat: 36 g
carbs: 58 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 32 g
calories: 680 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the whole musetto in a large pot and cover completely with cold, unsalted water.
2
Do not prick the skin under any circumstances, or the sausage will dry out and burst.
3
Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a low simmer.
4
Cover partially and simmer very gently for two and a half to three hours until completely tender.
5
Forty-five minutes before serving, bring 1.2 litres of water and coarse sea salt to a rolling boil in a heavy pot.
6
Rain the cornmeal into the boiling water in a steady stream while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
7
Switch to a wooden spoon and cook the polenta over low heat, stirring frequently for forty minutes until thick and smooth.
8
Carefully lift the hot musetto out of the cooking broth using tongs and rest on a board for two minutes.
9
Peel away the outer casing if desired and slice the sausage thickly into one-centimetre rounds.
10
Ladle generous mounds of hot soft polenta into warmed bowls.
11
Arrange the hot musetto slices over the polenta and top with freshly grated horseradish or mustard.

Chef's tips

Never pierce the casing of the musetto before or during cooking. Pricking allows the gelatinous juices and fat to seep into the water, leaving the meat dry rather than unctuously tender. The cooking water should only gently shudder, never boil vigorously.

Ingredient substitutions

musetto → a high-quality raw pork cotechino, though musetto contains a higher proportion of snout and cheek gelatin
fresh horseradish → jarred prepared horseradish in vinegar or sharp senape

Storage

Store leftover sliced musetto and polenta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat musetto slices gently in a splash of water or broth in a covered pan over low heat until steaming.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Pricking the skin with a fork, which causes the sausage to lose all its moisture and flavour to the broth.
•Rushing the cooking time; a proper musetto requires at least two and a half hours of gentle simmering to break down the dense collagen.
•Cooking the polenta too quickly without enough continuous stirring, resulting in raw grainy starch.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately alongside a spoonful of sweet-and-sour brovada pickled turnips.Pair with a glass of robust Friulian red wine such as Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso or Schioppettino.