To begin with, ham is meat that comes from the back leg of hogs. Ham is always pork. Prosciutto Ham is ham that has been “dry cured”. Dry curing is an ancient process that has been developed in Italy and in Slovenia. Country Hams and Prosciutto Hams range in color from pink to mahogany. There is a very exact process for curing Prosciutto Ham. First, the Ham will be properly cleaned and salted. Then the Ham is left for several months to cure. This is referred to as the “salting period””.
When the salting period is complete, the ham is washed as many times necessary to remove all traces of the salt. Now comes the drying process, the secret to Prosciutto Ham is that the ham is left to dry in a natural place. This is typically a sunny and airy place.
The air is essential to the overall quality of the Prosciutto Ham since the air quality will be affected by climate, temperature, and humidity. The total process for drying Prosciutto Ham can be between 9 months and as long as 18 months. The complete time frame depends on the size of the ham as well as the overall quality of the air. The Prosciutto Ham is finished when it is completely dry.
Is it Safe to Handle a Prosciutto Ham?
Because Prosciutto Hams are “dry” cured, there is no chance of bacteria growth. This method removes the water from the Ham, thereby reducing the playground where bacteria thrive. The low water concentration results in an increase in flavor so Prosciutto Hams are rich in flavor and taste. Because of the dry curing process there is no need to cook Prosciutto Ham, it is ready to eat when it is purchased.
The Three Main Types of Prosciutto Ham
There are three main types of Prosciutto Ham; they are Prosciutto di Parma, San Daniele, and Colli Berico-Euganei. Prosciutto di Parma comes from the Parma region of Italy. The Italian Government regulates the dry curing of Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto San Daniele, and Colli Berico-Euganei Prosciutto Hams.
The Prosciutto di Parma hams are hung to dry, with spacing in between each ham. When the San Danieles are dry cured, they are stacked one on top of the other, because of the vertical stacking, the San Danieles have more salt deeper into the meat. The Colli Berico-Euganei Prosciutto Hams comes from the region Veneto, Italy. Prosciutto Hams are known for their rich delicate taste and deep flavor.