MEAT+POULTRY - August 2024 - 15

and cured meats, enhancing the high European
standards and the great historical tradition that
distinguishes this sector.
In the United States, the first delis (a
shortened version of delicatessen that comes
from the German word delikatesse, meaning
delicacy) originated in New York City in the
early 20th century when European immigrants
began opening small shops selling cured
meats, sausages and other specialty foods
representing their home countries. The German
word wurst translates to sausage, but today
widely refers to both sausage and cold cuts.
Cold cuts (Aufschnitt in German, referring to
both cold cuts and sausages) are slices of large
sausages, cooked meats, hams and cheeses,
and often eaten with cold bread. German delis
sometimes offer an Aufschnitt Platte, a tray
of cold cuts including bread, butter, pickles,
onions and other vegetables.
MODERN ARTISANAL
German Sausage Co.'s 7,000-square-foot
processing and retail location produces
approximately 4,400 lbs a week of its
traditional German sausage, deli meats and
smoked meats.
Early on, German Sausage Co. shared the
building with a German bakery and later took
ownership of the whole building and has been
there until today. Six employees, all family
members and skilled laborers, trained in-house
through the company training program,
fabricate all the products.
" Nothing is automated, " said Michael
Barthel, Master Butcher at German Sausage
Co. " We use all old traditional ways of
processing the same way our family has done it
for seven generations. "
The company does use machines to chop,
stuff, cook and smoke.
" We use all German machines from our
chopper which is a Kila to our stuffer which
is a Vemag to our Stein oil bath cooker and
our Kerres smokehouses, " Barthel said.
" Everything is hands-on by family from
processing to cleaning. "
In addition to offering custom slaughter and
custom game processing, German Sausage Co.
orders all of its meat from a broker.
" We work with Devine Meats and Harvest
Meats and Custom Foods to order all of our
weekly product to process and make all
the evolution of
DELI MEAT
Before today's common, cooked deli meats, the ancient
deli meats were salt-cured meats. The term Salumi was
not used for the charcuterie in Roman antiquity, and
salt preserved sausages were referred to as botulus,
insicia or a name evoking a place of origin. The term
salumi comes from the later ancient Latin word, salumen,
indicating the use of salt to preserve food.
In the Middle Ages the term salamen described common
foods preserved with salt without specifying what the
foods were. Within the Middle Ages and forward, the
term sausage, coming from salt and ciccia (meat) was
often used. The term salami that specifically indicates the
preparation known today, appeared first in 1581.
Industrialization in the 19th and 20th centuries
brought significant changes to the processes of food
preservation and mass production. These changes
made deli meats such as bologna, ham, turkey and
other cold cuts more accessible to a wider audience.
After World War II, cold cuts became popular due to
their convenience. Busy families now had quick and
easy meal solutions in the form of sliced and packaged
meats. The development of supermarkets and
refrigeration further advanced the cold cut industry.
Today's deli meats offer a new wave of innovations
in production. Low-fat, organic, humanely raised and
sustainable packaging to name just a few of many.
In addition, a resurgence in popularity of artisanal
meats and craft butchery has seen a rise in consumers
seeking high-quality meats produced using proven
traditional techniques.
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