Salaison 2024
The art of making a plat Valaisan
Viande séchée and jambon cru: The heart of the Swiss Apero
An apéro is a standard, “…all-purpose Swiss form of socialising that is held on every possible occasion.” Have you ever wondered how they make that delicious charcuterie board? The Assiette Valaisanne (“Valais Platter”) is the gastronomic emblem of Valais, a dish that perfectly embodies the convivial nature of social events in the canton.
I’ve had the great privilege to make my own viande séchée (& jambon cru) these last few years. AND OMG, is it good!
A long-time friend of my husband, Jerome, started organizing this annual celebration for himself and a few of his friends. It then started to be a few more friends, people he meets, friends of his friends. Friends of their friends. Every year, we get together in Valais for a day to make this delicacy.
Jérôme’s family’s recipe comes from the Val d’Anniviers in Valais. The recipe is handed down from generations of this historic Swiss tradition. As the grandson of a local butcher and a resident of the Val d’Anniviers region, Jérôme grew up with the tradition of making viande séchée with his grandparents.
What is viande séchée?
Viande séchée can only be produced in the Valais, according to a know-how handed down from generation to generation. Traditional viande séchée is made from beef legs, certified as being of Swiss origin. After carefully preparing the seasoning, the meat is marinated for up to two weeks and then hung to dry for six to eight weeks.
Traditionally, the seasoning is done at the beginning of winter and dried in the attic of the family home over the coldest months of the year.
Our viand séchée will be dried and cured at a local butcher in Sierre.
How it all played out for Salaison 2024
This year I asked a foodie friend from Geneva to come with me. We arrived just after 9 am in Valais and started chopping vegetables around 10 am. There were about 50 of us all together so we just got started. Jerome had taken orders and made the appropriate calculations for each type of veg: garlic, onions, leeks. (Note, peel and chop the garlic first and leeks last. Somehow, your hands end up smelling sweet with barely any trace of garlic).
We finished mixing the marinade and took a break for lunch. Lucky us, it was sunny and warm. We set up the tables and ate outside. In the afternoon, those who could, headed over to the butcher’s and helped weigh, label, and macerate the meats.
Amidst the bottles of wine, laughter and mishaps during the day, there was an unmistakable sense of purpose that bound us together—comradery, purpose, and a certain amount of organized chaos.
Some people cleaned and prepped the vegetables, others got to mix the spices, salts, & wine into the marinade. At the butcher’s, others meticulously weighed and labelled the cuts of meat, stirred pots of the marinade, or stacked the meat in the tubs after they’d been coated in the marinade. So many people, so many different tasks. All orchestrated to a T by Jerome and his team.
Our day was fueled by new friendships, tasty memories, and the enduring spirit and tradition of Salaison.
Santé!