SEASONED HAM 3 TRAYS

Cured Ham is a typical Italian cured cold cut obtained from carefully chosen and selected Italian pork thighs. It is a raw and seasoned charcuterie product that is not bagged for its production as is the case for many other Italian cured meats and is not cooked.

The animals chosen for the production of this typical cold cut are the so-called “heavy pigs” which have a weight ranging from about 150kg to 180kg.

Historical Notes

The history of its production seems to go back to the Etruscan period around the 6th-5th century BC. but it is above all in Roman times that there seem to be more finds mentioning preserved pork leg.

Production process

Very few ingredients are used for the production of raw ham: pork leg and salt. The thighs that are selected for the production of cured ham vary in weight from about 9.5kg to 14kg. These are salted with a manual massage and put to rest to let the salt penetrate evenly in depth. They are then washed, air dried and hung to mature for several months at a temperature that does not exceed 15 °.

Cured hams have a very wide maturation variability, from the softest and sweetest that matures “only” 8 months up to long maturations for over 36 months. During the curing phase, the so-called “sugnatura” is carried out, where the parts of the thigh that are not covered by the rind are sprinkled with “suet”, a mix of bad fat, salt, pepper, a mixture that can vary depending on the tradition of each producer. This process helps the thigh not to dry out too quickly.

Raw ham has a typical elongated shape, has a delicate red color that becomes darker in more seasoned products and has a vein of fat, a fundamental part to allow it not to have an excessively salty flavor.

In the kitchen

It is often used alone, for an appetizer platter, to fill a sandwich or even for traditional recipes such as saltimbocca alla romana.

As a pairing with wine you can range from an Emilian Malvasia, passing through a Friulano up to a Chianti Classico DOC.