What is mortadella?

Mortadella is a type of Italian meat, similar to sausage. It comes from Bologna, Italy, and is known as a charcuterie meat. Mortadella is a pinkish color with a smooth texture. It is not fermented or smoked.

Mortadella is usually made of pork, though back meat of beef or horse is sometimes used. The back meat of mortadella is usually about 60 percent of the sausage. Lard is also used in mortadella sausage. The meat used in this type of sausage is very finely ground. It typically comes in long strings of sausages around 10 feet long, though this can vary based on where it is purchased. Casein protein is used during the packing process to keep the meat encased.