It is purplish-red inside, with a lightly-smoked, spicy taste.
It is made using a very similar technique to Mortadella di Campotosto.
It use uses lean meat from the shoulder, loin, and upper back. The meat is finely minced, and seasoned with salt and pepper (both ground and peppercorns), cinnamon and cloves. Saltpetre is added for preservation. The mixture is let rest for 6 to 8 hours, then formed into an oval shape. In the centre, a column of white lard is inserted.
The casing is wrapped around the shaped sausage and then sewn by hand into a square shape and tied with thread tied to two pieces of hazelnut wood. The casing is made from a piece of beef intestine that has been washed with water and vinegar and dried previously.
As the sausage ages and shrinks, the sticks are used to tighten the string, to press air out. Then, it’s pricked with small holes to allow air to escape and a weight is put on it for 24 hours. Then it is let mature for 3 to 4 days or up to a month, in a room heated by a fireplace, then transferred to a dry, ventilated cellar to age.
As it ages, it shrinks and the sticks are removed. It weighs about 2 ¾ pounds (1.3 kg) when finished.
Mortadella di Amatrice is made throughout the year, particularly in winter.