Prosciutto
 Prosciutto di Parma | |
| Place of origin | Italy |
|---|---|
Prosciutto crudo,in English often shortened toprosciutto(/prəˈʃuːtoʊ,proʊˈ-/prə-SHOO-toh, proh-,[1][2][3][4]Italian:[proʃˈʃutto]),[5]is uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-curedham.Prosciutto crudois usually served thinly sliced.
Several regions in Italy have their own variations ofprosciutto crudo,each with degrees ofprotected status,but the most prized areProsciutto di ParmaDOP,fromEmilia-Romagna,andProsciutto di San DanieleDOP, fromFriuli-Venezia Giulia.Unlike speck (Speck Alto Adige) from theSouth Tyrolregion, prosciutto is not smoked. There is also a tradition ofmaking prosciuttoin southern Switzerland.[6]
InItalian,prosciuttomeans any type of ham, either dry-cured (prosciutto crudoor simplycrudo) or cooked (prosciutto cotto),[7][8]but in English-speaking countries, it usually means either Italianprosciutto crudoor similar hams made elsewhere.[9][10][11]However, the wordprosciuttoitself is not protected; cooked ham may legally be, and in practice is, sold asprosciutto(usually asprosciutto cotto,and from Italy or made in the Italian style) in English-speaking regions.[12][13][14]
Etymology
[edit]The wordprosciuttoderives in turn fromItalianasciutto(lit. 'dry'), withprefixsubstitution,[15]or fromVulgar Latinpro(before) +exsuctus(past participle ofexsugere,'to suck out [the moisture]');[16]the Portuguesepresuntohas the same etymology. It is similar to the modern Italian verbprosciugare('to dry thoroughly'; fromLatinpro+exsucare('to extract the juices from')).[17]
Manufacture
[edit] | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(September 2024) |
Prosciutto is made from either a pig's or a wild boar's hind leg or thigh, and the base term prosciutto specifically refers to this product. Prosciutto may also be made using the hind leg of other animals, in which case the name of the animal is included in the name of the product, for exampleprosciutto di agnello(lit. 'lamb ham'). The process of making prosciutto can take from nine months to two years, depending on the size of the ham.
A writer on Italian food,Bill Buford,describes talking to an old Italian butcher who says:
When I was young, there was one kind of prosciutto. It was made in the winter, by hand, and aged for two years. It was sweet when you smelled it. A profound perfume. Unmistakable. To age a prosciutto is a subtle business. If it's too warm, the aging process never begins. The meat spoils. If it's too dry, the meat is ruined. It needs to be damp but cool. The summer is too hot. In the winter—that's when you makesalumi.Your prosciutto. Yoursoppressata.Yoursausages.[18]
Today, the ham is first cleaned,salted,and left for about two months. During this time, the ham is pressed gradually and carefully to drain all blood left in the meat without breaking the bone. Next, it is washed several times to remove the salt and is hung in a dark, well-ventilated environment. The surrounding air is important to the final quality of the ham; the best results are obtained in a cold climate. The ham is then left until dry. The time this takes varies, depending on the local climate and size of the ham. When the ham is completely dry, it is hung to air, either at room temperature or in a controlled environment, for up to 18 months.
Prosciutto is sometimes cured withnitrites(eithersodiumorpotassium), which are generally used in other hams to produce the desired rosy color and unique flavor, but onlysea saltis used inprotected designation of origin(PDO) hams. Such rosy pigmentation is produced by a direct chemical reaction of nitric oxide withmyoglobinto form nitrosomyoglobin, followed by concentration of the pigments due to drying. Bacteria convert the added nitrite or nitrate to nitric oxide.
Use
[edit] |
Slicedprosciutto crudoinItalian cuisineis often served as anantipasto,wrapped aroundgrissini,or accompanied with melon or figs. It is also eaten as an accompaniment to cooked spring vegetables, such asasparagusorpeas.It may be included in a simple pasta sauce made with cream or a Tuscan dish oftagliatelleand vegetables. It is used in stuffings for other meats, such asveal,as a wrap around veal or steak, in a filled bread, or as apizzatopping.
Saltimboccais an Italian veal dish, in whichescalopesof veal are topped with a sage leaf before being wrapped in prosciutto and then pan-fried. Prosciutto is often served insandwichesandpanini,sometimes in a variation on theCaprese salad,withbasil,tomato,and freshmozzarella.
European Union–protected designations of origin
[edit]Prosciutto crudo
[edit]
Under theCommon Agricultural Policyof theEuropean Union(EU), certain well-established meat products, including some local prosciutto, are covered by aprotected designation of origin(PDO)—DOP in Italian—and other, less stringent designations of geographical origin for traditional specialties. Various regions have their own PDO, whose specifications do not generally require ham fromfree rangepigs. The simple Italian descriptionprosciutto,used alone or withcrudoorcotto,is not in itself a protected term.
The two famous types of Italianprosciutto crudoare:prosciutto crudo di Parma,fromParma,andprosciutto crudo di San Daniele,from theSan Daniele del Friuliarea, in theFriuli-Venezia Giuliaregion.[19]Theprosciutto di Parmahas a slightly nutty flavor from theParmesanwhey that is sometimes added to the pigs' diet. Theprosciutto di San Danieleis darker, and sweeter in flavor. For both of them, the product regulations allow salt as the only additive to the meat,[20][21]prohibiting additives such as nitrite and nitrate that are often used in unprotected products.
European protected designation of origin (PDO) andprotected geographical indication(PGI) apply for several prosciutto varieties in Italy, each slightly different in color, flavor, and texture:[8]
- Prosciutto di Parma,Parma,PDO
- Prosciutto di San Daniele,San Daniele del Friuli,PDO
- Prosciutto di Modena,Modena,PDO
- Prosciutto toscano,Tuscany,PDO
- Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo(orProsciutto Veneto),Veneto,PDO
- Prosciutto di Carpegna,nearCarpegna,Montefeltro,PDO
- Prosciutto amatriciano,nearAmatrice,Lazio, PGI
- Prosciutto di Norcia,Norcia,PGI
- Prosciutto di Sauris,Sauris,PGI
- Prosciutto crudo di Cuneo,Cuneo,PDO
- Valle d'Aosta Jambon de Bosses,Aosta Valley,PDO
- Prosciutto di suino nero dei Nebrodi,Sicily,PDO
- Cinta Senese,Tuscany, PDO
- Prosciutto di Bassiano,Lazio
- Prosciutto di Venticano,Campania
- Prosciutto di Faeto,Apulia
- Prosciutto della Majella,Abruzzo
- Prosciutto di suino nero Casertano,Campania
- Prosciutto crudo dell'Irpinia,Campania
Culatello
[edit]
Culatello con cotennais similar to prosciutto, but is made from the filet or loin of the hind leg. It is aged in a cow or pig's bladder as a casing to prevent spoilage and contamination.Culatello di Zibellopossesses PDO status. It is commonly served as a starter.
Strolghinois a salame prepared from leftover cuts ofculatello.[22]
Pršut
[edit]Prosciutto, locally calledpršut,is produced inMontenegro,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Slovenia(especially theKarst Plateauand theVipava Valley), andCroatia(Dalmatia,the island ofKrk,andIstria).Pršutfrom Dalmatia andHerzegovinaare smoked, unlike the Italian product, while that from Slovenia, Istria, and Krk is not smoked.[23]The mountain village ofNjeguši,in Montenegro, produces the smokednjeguški pršut.
The following types ofpršuthave aprotected status in the European Unionand the UK:[24][25]
| Country | Geographical Area | Name | Geographical Indication | Year of registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia | part ofDalmatia | Dalmatinski pršut | PGI | 2016 |
| Croatia | Šibenik-Knin County | Drniški pršut | PGI | 2015 |
| Croatia and Slovenia | part ofIstria | Istarski pršut/Istrski pršut | PDO | 2015 |
| Slovenia | part of theKras | Kraški pršut | PGI | 2012 |
| Croatia | Krk | Krčki pršut | PGI | 2015 |
See also
[edit]
- List of hams
- List of dried foods
- List of smoked foods
- Jamón serrano– Spanish dry-cured ham
- Jamón ibérico– type of cured pork leg product
- Presunto– Portuguese dry-cured ham
Notes and references
[edit]- ^"PROSCIUTTO".Cambridge English Dictionary.Cambridge University Press.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^"prosciutto".LexicoUK English Dictionary.Oxford University Press.Archived fromthe originalon June 5, 2021.
- ^"Prosciutto".Collins English Dictionary.HarperCollins.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^"prosciutto".Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Merriam-Webster.RetrievedAugust 14,2019.
- ^"Prosciutto pronunciation in Italian".howtopronounce.RetrievedNovember 4,2021.
- ^"Prosciutto crudo della Mesolcina".Culinary Heritage of Switzerland.RetrievedMarch 11,2023.
- ^"Prosciutto recipes".BBC Food.n.d.RetrievedOctober 24,2021.
Prosciutto means 'ham' in Italian and is a term particularly used to describe ham that has been seasoned, cured and air-dried.Prosciutto cottois cooked, andprosciutto crudois raw, although, because it has been salt-cured, it is ready to eat.
- ^ab"IBERIAN, YORK AND PARMA HAM DIFFERENCES".Pata Negra Schinken.n.d.RetrievedOctober 24,2021.
- ^Fabricant, Florence (October 2, 2017)."A New American Prosciutto".New York Times.
- ^"1st Argentinian Prosciutto".Jamón Crudo El Artesano.
- ^"Ακροκώλιον, το καλύτερο ελληνικό προσούτο φτιάχνεται στην Ευρυτανία (βίντεο)"[Acrokolion, the best Greek prosciutto (προσούτο) made in Evritania (video)].viewtag.gr(in Greek). September 14, 2016.
- ^"Prosciutto Cotto – Ingredient – FineCooking".FineCooking.Archived fromthe originalon March 19, 2022.RetrievedOctober 27,2021.
- ^"Tesco Prosciutto Cotto 100G".Tesco.n.d.Archivedfrom the original on January 27, 2021.RetrievedOctober 27,2021.
- ^"Naturals Prosciutto Cotto (made in New Jersey, US)".Rovagnati US.RetrievedOctober 27,2021.
- ^"Prosciutto"(in Italian).RetrievedDecember 18,2021.
- ^"Perna e Perexuctus, il Prosciutto nella Storia"(in Italian).RetrievedDecember 18,2021.
- ^OEDsv. prosciutto,n.;Dizionario etimologico onlinesv.Prosciutto, PresciuttoandProsciugare;Lewis & Shortsv.ex-sūco
- ^Buford, BillHeat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in TuscanyKnopf, 2006ISBN1-4000-4120-1
- ^S. Irene Virbila (January 29, 1989)."Fare of the Country; The Sweet Prosciutto Of San Danieli, Italy".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 9,2009.
- ^"Technical Fact Sheet of Parma Ham"(PDF).prosciuttodiparma.n.d.Archived(PDF)from the original on September 30, 2018.
Additives: None. Only the use of salt is allowed (sodium chloride).
- ^"Production guidelines".Consorzio del Prosciutto di San Daniele. Archived fromthe originalon December 21, 2013.
Sea salt is used exclusively for salting, as the use of other chemical substances, preservatives and additives is completely prohibited throughout the preparation.
- ^Petrini, Carlo; Padovani, Gigi (October 17, 2006).Slow food revolution.Rizzoli. p. 78.ISBN9780847828739.
- ^Rowlands, Marc (April 10, 2020)."Croatia's best delicacies: Dalmatian prosciutto".Time Out.
- ^"Kraški pršut PGI".European Commission.July 25, 2020.
- ^"Dalmatian Pršut Given EU Protection Status".Croatia Week.February 15, 2016.
Further reading
[edit]- McGee, Harold.On Food and Cooking (revised).New York, New York: Scribner, 2004.ISBN0-684-80001-2.
External links
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| Types of ham | |
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| Ham dishes | |
| Ham producers | |
| Related articles | |
