Where Traditional Craft Meats Imaginative Flavours

Our carefully crafted cured meats combine the traditional curing methods of Tuscan norcini with wild, fragrant flavours from the Highlands and around the world.

Travelling to Italy to hone my technique, I sought out some of the last traditional norcini still practising this unique craft.

Traditionally, the norcini – who specialised in pork and were renowned for their cured meats – would travel from village to village helping the residents to preserve their meat for the year ahead. They used every part of the pig, meaning nothing was wasted and unique recipes were developed over the years for every cut of the pork.

Having travelled far and wide across the Tuscan countryside, these artisans would build their craft and sharpen their skills, finding new ways to cure the meat – adding delicious blends of herbs and spices to the process.

Eventually – like any good tradition – these techniques and secret recipes would be passed on to the next generation of norcini.

For me, these traditions, flavours and smells of salumi-making in the Italian countryside have followed me back to Scotland, where after 17 years away from the family farm, I made my return. 

With my wife Jess and our daughter in tow, I returned home to the place  – known by locals as the old piggery – where my story began.

Once the home of pigs – hence its affectionate name – we wanted to take the farm back to its roots. Together we have built a new home for ourselves – as well as a temporary space for curing our meat – and are dedicated to supporting local, sustainable food production and the slow food movement. You’ll also find our deliciously bold flavours in many local Highland farm shops and retailers. 

And, in case you were wondering where we got our name from, MOOCDU comes from the Gaelic muc dhubh meaning black pig – which just so happens to be the rare breed reared here in the Highlands and used in our products.

– Calum