9 Types Of Prosciutto Explained

Cured or cooked ham is made in many regions around the world. In fact, the technique behind curing food dates back to ancient times. According to Food Processing History, Mesopotamians began using salt to cure and dehydrate fish and meat as early as 3000 B.C., with the Greeks adopting the practice around 900 B.C. Seven hundred years later, Romans began using salt to cure pork — an early precursor to today's prosciutto. As the Roman empire expanded across Europe, soldiers and settlers populated regions in Portugal, Spain, France, England, Germany, and Belgium (via Britannica). These pioneers took their gastronomic culture with them, including salt-curing techniques. Salt curing delays spoilage and desiccates meat — and when food was scarce, this technique became a staple for people living in these outposts (via National Center for Home Food Preservation).

Taste Atlas indicates that there are 132 types of cured meats from across the globe. Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, and the U.S. all produce popular, high-quality cured ham. Each variety is distinguished by the geography, climate, and vegetation of the country it hails from just as much as it is by the type of pig used. The highest quality cured ham attributes its flavors and textures to specific heritage hog breeds, processing and curing techniques, and aging durations.

Italian prosciutto is one of the most famous types of cured ham. It is identified by its paper-thin slices, sweet-salty flavors, and delicate fat marbling. However, not all Italian prosciutti are the same. Prosciutto expert, Sabina Besler of Musco Foods, shared her insights on the various styles of prosciutti with us. 

"Italian prosciutto — and I can speak about di Parma and San Daniele especially — is a product born of the overlap of culinary expertise and the land," says Besler. "You will hear a lot about how the land allows them to create the best prosciutto. The location of the Emilia Romagna region (in North-Central Italy), tucked in between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic sea, is key." 

Prosciutto di Parma DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) is crafted under the governance of the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma with the strictest regulations. The Consorzio stipulates that only heritage hogs from the Parma and Langhirano regions are allowed to be used for prosciutto. Parmigiano-reggiano also comes from Emilia Romagna. The salty cheese is perfect with prosciutto crudo. In fact, hogs destined to become prosciutto are reared on Parmigiano-Reggiano whey to add flavor, fat, and texture, to the sweet, nutty, savory cured meat. After hanging in aging rooms for extended periods of time, each prosciutto di Parma leg or parcel is stamped with the Ducal Crown symbol and the Parma name to indicate its place of origin.

Besler stresses that "prosciutto dries for a long time, and it is key to keep the air moving in the curing rooms to avoid the proliferation of bad bacteria and dry out the meat evenly. The geographic placement of Emilia Romagna allows for it to be swept by refreshing breezes — perfect for curing rooms! Traditional curing rooms have tall windows that allow all that fresh air in." 

Bucolic and picturesque Tuscany is known for its sun-drenched rolling hills and winding cypress and poplar-lined roads that lead to ancient fortresses housing wine producers and artisanal culinary craftsmen.

It is here, in the Tuscan region of central Italy, that Italians produce a singular, aromatic, and herbal prosciutto aptly named prosciutto Toscano DOP (via Prosciutto Toscano Consortium). "Unlike Di Parma and San Daniele, Toscano is cured with more than just salt. It is prepared with spices including black pepper, rosemary, and juniper. This gives it a bolder flavor," adds Besler.

Governed by its own consortium that was founded in 1990, prosciutto Toscano is emblematic of the savory cuisine and robust wines of the region. Regulations stipulate that the fat is trimmed from the meat before it is caked in salt for curing. The salted hams rest horizontally in temperature and humidity-controlled curing rooms for nearly a month before being propped vertically for another three months. Only then can sugnatura — a process of coating the ham in salted and peppered lard for softening — occur, before the ham is hung to mature for up to a year in curing rooms. Once the hams are ready, they are branded with the consortium's four-star emblem and the name Toscana, ensuring their DOP.

While still a salt cured ham, and therefore a prosciutto, culatello di Zibello differentiates itself from prosciutti di Parma, di San Daniele, Toscana, and di Modena because it is a boneless prosciutto. Culatello di Zibello is crafted from the hamstring muscle of the leg.

According to Besler, "culatello is obtained from maturing only the rear muscle of the thigh for at least 12 months. As such, it is much smaller than a classic prosciutto and has a rotund, pear shape. Some say its flavor is more sophisticated and elegant." 

When asked about the differences between the types of prosciutti and possible favorites, Besler quipped, "this would be like choosing a favorite child! The most prestigious may be culatello di Zibello, crafted with only the noblest part of the pig's leg. Its production is much smaller than that of prosciutto, which creates a sense of desirability." But there's an added element to culatello's elevated status. "There is also a whole 'ritual' around its final preparation, where the culatello must be swaddled in a linen soaked in white wine. I believe this participates in making it that much more special ... it may be the most difficult to find, and it is quite expensive. It hasn't benefited from the same publicizing as prosciutto di Parma."

While Italy is known for its gorgeous DOP-protected wines, the country also produces everyday culinary delights that are just as fantastic. These products are still high quality and adhere to specific standards that have been organized by national consortiums where the designation is Italy (country) rather than region or sub-region. It means that the ingredients — whether it is grapes, cheese, ham, or honey — must come from within the geographical boundaries that define Italy. "Prosciutto d'Italia is a prosciutto crafted in Italy in the same way as di Parma, but the pigs are sourced from other European countries," says Besler. "It is an excellent (and affordable) alternative to DOP Prosciutto." 

Rotondo dolci prosciutto is a soft and sweet ham that's been aged for 18 months. "It is a sub-category to classic prosciutti di Parma. The pig legs are pressed once dried and rolled into a rounder shape. The result is a more rotund prosciutto leg, which yields larger roundish slices — they tend to have a little more moisture than the more common, flattened type." 

North America produces its fair share of cured ham and other meats (via Taste Atlas). Heritage hog farmers and craft producers take care to emulate the traditions and techniques of the great European cured meat consortiums.

The New York Times reports that Rhode Island-based Niman Ranch adopted the European salt curing technique to produce their cured hams. Just as the Italians do, Niman Ranch avoids nitrates, only using salt and a thick lard rub to cure and preserve their hams. The company sells its ham shaved by the ounce, with or without the bone. Casella Salumi, based in New York, crafts various styles of traditional Italian-style salumi and prosciutti using rare-breed heritage pigs. Chef Cesare Casella believes in using only the best hogs, cuts of meat, and ample time to produce his prosciutti.

Bill Miner, of Il Porcellino Salumi, suggests that environment is key for the heritage pigs he selects for his cured meats indicating that "when it comes to pigs, what they eat matters. It is impossible to make authentic Italian prosciutto or Spanish jamón ibérico in the U.S.A. because the environment — the soil, water, sun, air, and food — can't be replicated. The taste and texture of the meat will never be the same." That is what makes Italian prosciutto so special. In addition to a range of creative cured pork salumi, Miner makes a duck breast prosciutto that is robust, gamey, and absolutely delicious.