With the same meat, we prepare a "mêlée" – a mixture of sorted meat and hard fat that will be cased in skins of different sizes. It is the size of the casing that determines the ageing time and thus the final taste of the product.
The larger the gauge of the casing, the longer the ageing and the more powerful and complex the flavour.

Trique: large gauge: 120 to 180 days of ageing
Saucisson: medium gauge, 60 days of ageing
Saucisse: small gauge, 20 days of ageing

Our philosophy: genetic selection, a rearing method with specific standards, and the method of transformation.
We see our work not as charcutiers but as affineurs, letting time take its course.

Genetics

We exclusively use the Gascon pig, a slow-growing animal that produces the intramuscular fat we seek for our cured meats. A relative of the Iberian pig, it is a hardy breed whose origins date back to prehistoric times.

At present, (falsely) artisanal pork is often labeled 'black' to sound rustic, or given village or regional names to suggest tradition. Most of the time, these pigs are crossbred with white pigs and raised confined in buildings.

The Gascon pig is a pure breed, clearly identified by the IFIP (Institut du porc), and its purity is controlled by LIGERAL (Livre Généalogique Collectif des Races Locales de porcs). It is a pig we know well, having raised them for 15 years on the estate at a time when they were near extinction.

I discovered this pig at the end of the 1980s; its flavor profile completely captivated me, and I immediately began raising them to craft saucissons, hams... and we focused straight away on the transformation process.
In 1996, we played a modest role in the creation of the Association Nationale de Sauvegarde du Porc Gascon (ANSPG).

Highly advanced rearing methods

For millennia, pigs have been raised outdoors. The industry, focused on productivity, has confined them to produce faster but at the cost of quality; it has selected breeds adapted to this "prison-like" farming, but Gascon pork does not adapt to it.
We have opted for a highly modern way of rearing, in the woods, always seeking to respect the animal's life cycle, both in its way of life and its duration: long rearing periods of 20 to 24 months (between 3 and 4 times longer than industrial farming and twice as long as artisanal farming). Intensive farming is rejected in favour of free-ranging in open nature, making use of wooded areas abandoned by industrial agriculture. The pigs live a true pig's life, rooting in the soil for their food (grass, leaves, roots, mushrooms, berries, earthworms, field mice, chestnuts and acorns in season). It is thanks to this varied diet that we obtain meat with distinct intramuscular fat, which defines the quality of our cured meats.

The transformation process

In 1995, we developed the first certified organic sausage, free from saltpeter and nitrites, in partnership with the CRITT and Anvar.

A fermented product

Our cured meats are the result of slow ageing in cellars. They are the outcome of indigenous yeasts working on our meats, as opposed to the chemical yeasts used by the food industry.
Indigenous yeasts are those naturally present in the surrounding air.

The cellars – one on the ground floor and three for ageing – all have different atmospheres. As a result, the cured meats that move from one cellar to another during their maturation will develop different aromas in each. This creates the aromatic complexity and length on the palate of our products.

Bespoke ingredients

Each ingredient is selected to contribute to the aromatic development.

Without saltpeter, without nitrites

All our cured meats are guaranteed free from nitrite salt, saltpetre, or any other additives.

Learn more

Testimonials

The unique, singular taste of the Trique reflects the work performed beforehand and the time taken to produce it.
It is a true tasting experience every time!

Fabrice C.

Our purchasing experience was positive; we received the parcel in perfect condition, within a reasonable timeframe.
You can tell this package was prepared with great care!
The Trique de St Géry is a big favourite with the children.
Nothing but positive!

Erik M.

Tasting advice

Open the pouches 48 hours in advance (at least 24 hours), and leave them hanging in a ventilated and temperate place.

To be enjoyed in thin slices.

Questions & Answers:

• What is the Trique de Saint-Géry?
  An exceptional cured meat, aged for 120 to 180 days, cased in a 70 cm skin for a unique intensity of flavour.
• Why is it called “Trique”?
  Because of its large format, traditionally cased in a sow casing.
• Which ingredients are used?
  Gascon Pork meat and fat, natural salt, and organic pepper.
• How long is the Trique aged for?
  Between 4 and 6 months in natural cellars alongside the hams.

• Does it contain nitrites or saltpetre?
  Neither saltpetre, nor nitrite salt, nor any other chemical additives.

• How long does it keep?

  It can be kept vacuum-packed for 6 months. Once opened, you can enjoy it within 2 weeks.

• How to enjoy it?

  Open the pouch 24 to 48 hours beforehand and hang it in a temperate, ventilated place.

• How is it packaged for delivery?

  All Maison Duler cured meats are vacuum-packed.

• How does it develop its aromatic complexity?Through slow ageing that encourages indigenous yeasts.

• Why this long ageing period?
  To allow the aromas to develop fully, thanks to our natural cellars.
• What distinguishes its taste?
  A powerful and complex profile, with subtle cheese-like notes resulting from long maturation.

• What is its weight?
  Approximately 1 kg per piece.

• What differentiates La Trique from a standard dry-cured sausage?
  Its larger size and extended ageing provide an incomparable aromatic richness.