Tuscan-Style Prosciutto

By
Kyle Phillips
Kyle Phillips
Food, wine, and travel writer Kyle Phillips lived in Tuscany and developed his passion and expertise for food and cooking through travel.
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Updated on 08/25/22
Thin slices of prosciutto

 

Margarita Almpanezou / Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
1-Year Curing: 8,736 hrs
Total: 8,736 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 200 servings

Dry-cured hams, cured in salt and then air-dried, are an important part of many different cuisines because of what it meant to have shelf-stable meats before refrigeration existed. Many cultures have a way of curing meat using just salt, time, and air, but Italians have developed many of the most beautiful cured meats, perfecting the techniques over many centuries. Tuscan prosciutto, less known than Parma or San Daniele prosciutto, is a delectable cured meat that belongs to the family of crudos, or uncooked hams.

Our recipe takes a little over a whole year to make and, although time-consuming, is an enjoyable process that will be worth your effort. Our recipe brings to your table a high-quality and delicious product that you can enjoy in antipasti, with melon or figs, on charcuterie plates, or on pizza, pasta, or simply with a fresh piece of crusty bread.

Before you start, get acquainted with the process of curing meats and find resources and instructions that certify you are doing it correctly, in the right environment and temperature, and with the ingredients and proper steps that will ensure your health and the quality of the product won't be at risk. Also, have a nonreactive dish large enough to fit the fresh ham.

Ingredients

For the Ham:

  • 12 to 15 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 1/2 to 1 cup black peppercorns

  • 1 teaspoon ground mixed spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, juniper berries, bay leaves, and cloves

  • 1 (30-pound) fresh ham

  • 6 pounds fine sea salt, divided 

For Rinsing:

  • 2 cups warm water, or as needed 

  • 2 cups distilled white vinegar, or as needed 

For Preserving:

  • 2 cups lard

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a food processor, make a paste with the garlic, peppercorns, and teaspoon of mixed spices. Reserve half of this paste for later use, placing it in an airtight container in the fridge.

  3. Lay ham on a surface that won't absorb liquids and then rub half of the garlic mixture all over ham.

  4. Add a generous amount of the salt all over ham. The salt will draw out moisture and avoid any bacterial growth. Let ham rest for three days, wiping away any liquids it may give off.

  5. Massage ham again with 1/2 of the reserved garlic paste.

  6. Sprinkle it well with a generous amount of fine sea salt. Allow ham to rest for another five days, wiping away any liquids it may give off.

  7. Use remaining garlic paste, and cover with more salt. Leave ham flat on a surface to absorb salt and give off moisture for 30 days, turning it occasionally.

  8. After the initial 38 days have passed, shake off excess salt and let rest for another 10 days.

  9. On the 48th day, rinse well with a mixture of equal parts of warm water and distilled white vinegar. Repeat rinsing with fresh water and vinegar until ham looks well cleaned. Sometimes up to 3 washes are needed.

  10. Hang ham up in a dry place that's impervious to flies for two to three months. If unsure, wrap ham in a cheese cloth to be sure no insects can get to it.

  11. Cover exposed flesh of the ham with rendered lard. Lard impedes bacterial growth like the salt did in the early stages. Hang it to age for another seven to eight months.

  12. A little over a year since you started, the ham is ready—although many prosciutto makers age theirs for 15 or more months total.

Curing Meat Warning

Curing meat requires specific expertise and failure to cure meat properly may result in sickness or death. If you have no experience in this area, we advise you to consult an expert to teach you proper techniques and applications.

What to read and learn before curing meat

Since curing meat requires such a specific skill set (otherwise, it can lead to illness or worse), we highly recommend consulting with an expert to teach you proper techniques. We found that the following four publications are helpful guides and go in-depth about just such processes, procedures, and techniques:

How to Slice Prosciutto

You'll need a sharp knife; the traditional prosciutto knife is about 12 inches long and 1/2-inch wide. You'll also want a prosciutto holder, which is a large clamp device that lets you stand the prosciutto on edge, with the bone horizontal—one generally begins with the half with the most meat facing up. Trim away the rind and begin slicing the prosciutto, parallel to the bone, trimming away more rind as necessary. With practice, you'll be able to cut thin, even slices. Once you reach the bone, flip the prosciutto over and begin slicing the other side. And once you have trimmed away all the meat you can get, use the prosciutto bone for soup.

What is Tuscan prosciutto?

Sweet and fatty, with the right amount of spices and herbs, Tuscan prosciuttos dry for at least 12 months in climate-controlled rooms. If complying with the strictly regulated processes, these massive pork legs are then labeled with DOP (Denominazione d’Origine Protetta, or protected designation of origin) which makes them a sought-after and expensive product to enjoy. Some truly special Tuscan prosciuttos are finished in wooden cases surrounded by wood ash for two years. 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
115 Calories
6g Fat
1g Carbs
15g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 200
Amount per serving
Calories 115
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 45mg 15%
Sodium 5939mg 258%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 243mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)