Prosciutto is uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-cured prosciutto from Italy. Known in full as prosciutto crudo, it is usually served thinly sliced.
Prosciutto di Parma PDO from Emilia-Romagna and Prosciutto di San Daniele PDO from Friuli Venezia Giulia are the most prized prosciutto varieties in Italy, each with varying degrees of protected status. Prosciutto is not smoked like Speck from the South Tyrol region.
Prosciutto can refer to any type of ham, whether dry-cured (prosciutto crudo or simply crudo) or cooked (prosciutto cotto), but outside of Italy, it usually refers to Italian prosciutto crudo or comparable hams. However, the term "prosciutto" is not protected; cooked ham can be lawfully sold as prosciutto in English-speaking regions (typically as prosciutto cotto, and from Italy or produced in an Italian style).
Prosciutto is prepared from the rear leg or thigh of a pig or a wild boar, and the term prosciutto refers to this product only. Other animals' hind legs can also be used to make prosciutto, in which case the animal's name is included in the product's name, such as "prosciutto cotto d'agnello" ("lamb prosciutto"). Prosciutto can take anywhere from nine months to two years to make, depending on the size of the ham.
In modern times, the ham is washed, salted, and left for roughly two months before being served. During this time, the ham is gently pushed to drain any remaining blood in the meat, taking care not to break the bone. It is then rinsed many times to remove the salt before being hung in a dark, well-ventilated area. The quality of the air around the ham is vital; the best results are obtained in a chilly climate. After that, the ham is let to dry. This takes a different amount of time based on the local environment and the size of the ham. When the ham is entirely dry, it is hung to air for up to 18 months, either at ambient temperature or in a controlled setting.
