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Parma Prosciutto
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Identity Card
Name: Parma Prosciutto
Product type: Cured pork meat
Raw material: It is made using the haunches of just three breeds of heavy pigs: Large White, Landrace and Duroc, bred in 11 regions of central-northern Italy
Curing: From 10 to 12 months, in a cool place
Production area: Municipalities in the province of Parma
Denomination: The brand of the ducal crown is only applied to hams that pass the tests carried out by inspectors from the Consortium for the Protection of Prosciutto di Parma. DOP (Denominazione d'Origine Protetta - Protected Designation of Origin) mark granted in 1996
Note: Parma Ham can be used in calorie-controlled diets if the fat is removed. |
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Centuries ago, one of the few ways of preserving meat for several months was to dry it. The Italian name "prosciutto" is no accident; it comes from the Latin perexsuctum, meaning "dried".
And still today this cured meat is made using the same techniques as in the past, starting off with a very special raw material: heavy pigs. To get through the delicate curing period, which leaves the meat tender and delicate, the haunches destined to become hams must be taken from particularly heavy slaughtered pigs fed according to the dictates established by the technicians of the Consortium, i.e. maize, barley and whey originating from Parmigiano Reggiano production.
Another distinguishing feature is the breed of pig used: in fact only Large White, Landrace and Duroc swine belong to the protected circuit, and for instant recognition throughout the production cycle they are tattooed with a special indelible code on both haunches. Parma prosciutto is inimitable and the Ducal Crown is the Consortium's guarantee of authenticity.
It is at the ham-processing factory that experience comes into play: the experience of those who trim the haunch and give the ham its characteristic shape, before passing it on to the master salters, whose delicate task is to measure the amount of salt required to keep the ham in perfect condition during the long curing period. Twelve months later an inspector from the Consortium proceeds with the "pricking" of the potential Parma prosciutto candidates to see if they are fit to bear the ducal crown, the pricking process being carried out using a bone needle to check for the degree of curing and quality. If everything is perfect each ham will be branded, put on the market, and possibly exported as far as Japan and the United States, under the aegis of the DOP mark, granted by the European Union in 1996.
Besides its inviting fragrance and characteristic mellow flavour, Parma prosciutto has an enviable nutritional profile with a low level of cholesterol, similar to that of veal, and a high oleic acid content, a compound which helps prevent arteriosclerosis. In cooking Parma prosciutto is worth trying in Fusilli with asparagus and prosciutto or in Tortellini with prosciutto or more simply, with some fresh bread and a glass of red wine.
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