What is Prosciutto?

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is a type of air dried, cured ham that is very popular in Italian cuisine.   The word prosciutto is derived from the Latin word perexsiccatus, which means “to dry of liquid”.  The meat is usually cut into paper thin slices and served uncooked.  Uncooked prosciutto is called prosciutto crudo, while the cooked version is called prosciutto cotto.  Every region of Italy has its own version of prosciutto, but the most famous and prized hams come from Parma and San Daniele.  In the European Union it has Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) which ensures the production of prosciutto meets various specifications and is produced in its area of origin.

Preparation

Prosciutto is prepared by first cleaning, salting and pressing a ham.  Pressing the ham is done to drain the ham of any blood that may be left in the meat.  The ham is left to cure with a heavy coating of salt for approximately two months.  After two months, the salt is washed from the ham,the ham is then covered in a salt and lard mixture then left to air dry for up to two years.  The environment where there air drying is done is very important as an environment that is two warm will cause the meat to spoil, while an environment that is too dry will cause the meat to dry out.  The ideal environment is cool and damp.  Each region of Italy may have a slightly different method of preparation, but they all follow this basic pattern.

Prosciutto in cooking

There are many different ways prosciutto is used in the culinary arts.  It may be used as an hors d’oeuvre if it is wrapped around a piece of melon or cheese.  In addition it can be used in combination with other meats and served in a sandwich or panini.  It is often served as a wrapper around another piece of meat such as steak or veal.  Prosciutto is also served as a topping on pizza.

Some recipes that use prosciutto:

Italian Panini Sandwich Recipe