COOKED HAM 3 TRAYS

The High Quality Cooked Ham is a typical Italian cooked cured meat that comes from the selection of the best pork thighs. The ham of our selection is produced from pigs born, raised and reared in Italy, therefore a product with a controlled national supply chain. It is a non-stuffed cold cut partially covered with pork rind.

Cooked Ham can be called in this way only if produced with this part of the pork, the rear leg, and should not be confused with a product that is often used as a substitute but much less valuable, the cooked shoulder.

Historical notes

The history of Cooked Ham seems to date back to Roman times when the pork leg was boiled in water with different flavors. It is thought that this practice was acquired by the Lombard populations, by the roosters or by other populations of Northern Italy who had been incorporated into the empire. This cold cut, in fact, remains typical of northern regions such as Lombardy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, Liguria and Emilia.

Production process

But how is our cooked ham produced? Pork thighs are selected and are also used for the production of Parma Ham, chosen on the basis of weight and the ratio between fat and lean, which are strictly boned by hand with a knife. The thigh is then trimmed to remove excess fat and rind. The next phase is that of syringing, where the ingredients composed of salt, natural flavors and spices (a secret recipe that we have been passing on in the company for three generations) are injected into the thigh to give it its final flavor. We then move on to churning, where the ham is slowly massaged for several hours with its aromas so that the meat can soften and the ingredients are absorbed evenly. Follows a rest time before being inserted into the molds that will give them their characteristic shape and slowly steamed in special ovens. They are then cooled for another day and vacuum-packed to maintain the organoleptic properties of the ham in the best possible way. Pasteurization follows to break down any type of bacterial load and left to rest again for over two weeks before being consumed.

Not all cooked hams are the same in terms of quality and, for this reason, Italian legislation divides them into 3 types based on different factors:

1. High Quality Cooked Ham is the most valuable, in which at least 3 of the 4 thigh muscles are used and a humidity level lower or equal to 79.5%. These are hams made with raw materials of the highest quality and an equally careful processing.
2. The Selected Cooked Ham must have a moisture content equal to or less than 79.5% and 3 of the 4 thigh muscles must always be identifiable.
3. Finally we find the Cooked Ham which has a humidity equal to or less than 82% and can be composed of different parts of the thigh which are then reassembled inside the mold.

Cooked Ham is characterized by a rounded shape and a pink color bordered by a white layer of fat that gives it sweetness. Being a cooked product, it is suitable for both children and pregnant women and is easily digestible.

It is a perfect product to eat alone, thinly sliced, accompanied by vegetables or for a classic stuffed sandwich, the most famous for childhood snacks. Thanks to its versatility it is perfect for many recipes or even as a filling for roasts, ravioli or fillings in general.

In the tray version we recommend, once opened, not to cover it with transparent film because it would not be able to transpire and to consume it within 36/48 hours of opening. The cooked ham of our selection is gluten-free, lactose-free, milk protein and GMO-free.