The „Đakovački kulin association“ brings together about thirty members - kulen producers from the wider area of Đakovo

Đakovo is, without a doubt, the only city in the world that can call itself the City of Kulin. So proudly says Vladimir Ćorić, president of the Đakovački kulin association, working to promote and brand Đakovo as the city of kulin or kulen.

The association gathers around thirty members — kulen producers from the wider area of Đakovo. For nearly 40 years, it has continuously organised a kulen tasting competition in Đakovo as part of the annual Đakovački vezovi festival. According to Ćorić, the association’s greatest value lies in the fact that its members promote this treasured delicacy of Slavonia, Baranja, and Syrmia at various events and that they pass on their knowledge to young kulen producers.

So, which one, kulen or kulin, is this prized delicacy of eastern Croatia? Both names are correct. In some Šokac dialects the term kulin is more common, though kulen is by far the most widely used name. Still, in the heart of Slavonia, in the Đakovo area — specifically in the villages of Koritna, Kešinci, and Semeljci — you’ll hear people calling it kuljen.

Kulen and luxury

“The old folks in these parts really do call our most prized product kuljen,” says Stanko Josipović, one of the successful younger producers of kulen and other cured meats.

Stanko and his family have been raising pigs in Koritna, a village 17 km northeast of Đakovo, for years. They raise about 15,000 pigs annually, and between 300 and 500 of them are fattened specifically for the premium kulen which requires mature pigs of at least 180 kg. At the end of 2022, the Josipović family launched a new meat processing facility (FB Kulen Josipović). Excellent results quickly followed, and in 2024 Josipović kulen was awarded best in show at the Kulen Festival in Beli Manastir. The crown of their success with kulen and other cured meat production is the Josipović House, a five-star rural luxury vacation home (www.josipovic-house.com). Yes, kulen and luxury go so well together!

A similar success story is unfolding near Lake Borovik. In Podgorje Bračevačko, a company called Balkan Lov produces Đakovačke delikatese, a line of cured meats that begins with free-range pigs, especially the prized Black Slavonian breed, raised on pastures, meadows, and forests along the slopes of Krndija. Since 2019, the company has been making high-quality meat products, which are now featured in restaurants across Croatia and available for purchase online at www.djakovacke-delikatese.hr.

Serious investment

Serious kulen producers keep emerging throughout the Đakovo area. For example, in Josipovac Punitovački, the Eling family with their farm (OPG Eling) have made significant investments in their production facility and are well on their way to creating a recognisable Kulen Eling brand (www.kulen-eling.hr).

Other examples include Delicije Tokić in Široko Polje (FB Delicije Tokić) and long-time kulen producers OPG Bošnjaković in Piškorevci (e-mail: OPG Bošnjaković Ivica).

In Đakovo, Mesnica Vrhovac (www.mesnica-vrhovac.hr) has been winning medals for kulen quality for years. And yes, you can even buy kulen at a butcher boutique: visit Mesni butik Jančo at the Đakovo City Market (FB Mesni butik Jančo).

"Ravni kulen" does not exist in Slavonia

You will enjoy it equally whether you eat kulen, kulin or kuljen. But if you ask a kulen producer for "ravni kulen", there is a possibility that you will offend him. "Ravni kulen" is a term that has nothing to do with traditional production because it originated in the meat industry. In Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem there are kulen and kulen seka. When the highest quality minced pork, with the addition of salt, ground hot and sweet peppers and garlic, and in the case of Baranja kulen also pepper, is stuffed into a pig's appendix - the product is kulen. If the same preparation is stuffed into a pig's colon, kulen seka is created.

Written by: Igor Mikulić