Of all the Italian cured meats, prosciutto may be the most beloved. With its mildly sweet flavor, the silky dry-cured ham elevates pizzas, salads, sandwiches and charcuterie boards, among many other Italian dishes.
There are many varieties of this Italian ham, depending on where it’s made, but the most famous one is prosciutto di Parma. No trip to Parma—a beautifully hilly city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy—is complete without sticking to a diet of mostly ham, which is often served wrapped around sweet cantaloupe, stuffed into melty panini or layered on a plate all by itself.
Beyond cured meats, the art-filled region has an incredibly rich food culture: Don’t miss traditional stuffed pastas like tortelli (think big tortellini). But there’s a reason that Parma’s carefully cured ham—made simply with sea salt, air and good old-fashioned time—is famous the world over. Here’s everything you need to know about the delicious Italian meat and how to enjoy it.
What is prosciutto?
When people use the term “prosciutto,” they’re typically referring to Italian dry-cured ham made from the hind legs of pigs. But the word is actually just Italian for “ham.” So, in Italy, you’ll find two types of prosciutto: cured ham (prosciutto crudo) and cooked ham (prosciutto cotto). Thinly sliced cured prosciutto is a prized ingredient enjoyed around the world, and the luscious ham is made throughout Italy, from Venice in the north to Sicily in the south. However, prosciutto di Parma (from the province of Parma) is the best known version.
How is prosciutto made?
Prosciutto is made slightly differently across Italy, but the general process is similar everywhere. First, the pig’s hind legs are salted (in Parma, prosciutto makers use high-quality Italian sea salt). Then, the ham is refrigerated in high humidity for a week before getting another coating of salt. A couple weeks later, the hind legs are hung in refrigerated rooms, where they’ll remain for two to three months. Artisans then wash the salt off, before moving the legs to well-ventilated dry rooms for three months.
But they’re not done yet! Any exposed surfaces on the hams are covered with a lard and salt mixture to ensure that the meat doesn’t dry out. And finally, after nearly seven months, the ham travels to the final curing room.
Prosciutto di Parma
Prosciutto di Parma is the most famous Italian-made prosciutto, but other regions across the country have their own centuries-old traditions of curing hams, too. The ham-making process is strictly regulated by the government, with the precise ingredients, temperatures and aging times dictated by the specific location’s Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Protected Designation of Origin, or PDO)—similar to how products like champagne and tequila must adhere to certain guidelines.
For example, by law, prosciutto di Parma must be cured for at least 400 days to three years,