Prosciutto is one of those great foods that can be enjoyed untouched by itself and still fill your mouth with a cacophony of flavors. This method of preservation and preparation originates in Italy where it is still produced en mass. I found some interesting information about Prosciutto in books and on the web, so I thought I would share.

The term "Prosciutto" tends to have more than one meaning. The literal Latin translation is "thoroughly dried". However in Italian, the term Prosciutto refers to the type of pork cut not the method of preparation. To me, when I hear of Prosciutto, I think of a pork ham that has been cured with salt and dried over a period of time.

The most famous Prosciutto in the World comes from Italy, that is in the Parma province. The Friuli region also produces much of Italy’s Prosciutto, this is called Prosciutto di San Danielle. Prosciutto is made in many countries of the World, however the method of production remains relatively similar.

"….The Master Curer will insert a pin or often times a needle like horse bone into the Prosciutto, once removed he will be able to smell and detect its level of maturity"

In Italy, where Prosciutto production is still a time honored tradition, the methods of turning a raw ham into a well defined Prosciutto go back many centuries. It all begins with the bringing up of their pig stock. The pigs live in the Northern and Central areas of Italy and are feed on forage barley, corn, and fruit. The must also be at least 10 months old before slaughter to ensure that the meat is firm and surrounded by adequate layers of fat for protection.

The First Step in the production of Prosciutto is to salt the raw legs of pork, which weigh in at around 22 pounds. For this first salting phase the legs are left in refrigeration for 6 to 7 days at 32 to 40 degrees F.

The Second Step is to re-salt them again after the initial period, and then leave them in refrigeration for another 15 to 18 days. This ensures that the salt is penetrating the meat as much as possible.

The Third Step is to knead the legs, which is done mechanically now. This loosens up the meat to again, to ensure that the salt is penetrating the meat. After this kneading the ham is let to rest for another 60 to 70 days. During these steps, the rind is protecting the ham from drying out or spoiling.

The Fourth Step in the production of Prosciutto is age the meat. This is done by carefully transferring the Prosciutto between cold storage, drying rooms, and airy warehouses. Also by now another outer rind will have been installed, consisting of lard, ground rice, and pepper. This prevents the meat from drying out and hardening.

The Final Step is to let the Prosciutto age to its maturity. During this phase the Master Curer will insert a pin or often times a needle like horse bone into the Prosciutto, once removed he will be able to smell and detect its level of maturity. After 10 to 12 months the Prosciutto Ham will be ready to eat.

Italians love their Prosciutto, for they consume over 50% of production in Italy. The rest is for export to other European countries and the U.S.A.

There are several ways to serve Prosciutto, however like I mentioned earlier, do not forget that it is often best eaten alone I believe. Here are a few complimentary ingredients that pair well with Prosciutto.

• Asparagus
• Melon
• Figs
• Mozzarella
• Seafood
• Lettuces
• Or serve as a replacement for bacon

Additional Resources

• Prosciutto di Parma Gold Label - Amazon
• Roasted Chicken with Prosciutto Recipe
• Pork Tenderloin, Asparagus, and Prosciutto Recipe
• Home Page for Prosciutto di Parma
• Fig, Brie, and Prosciutto Pizza Recipe