Prosciutto cotto (cooked ham)

Food, Animal source foods, Preserved animal source products, Preserved pork products, Hams, Wet-cured hams

Consumption area(s): Italy 🇮🇹, San Marino 🇸🇲, Vatican City 🇻🇦

Introduction

Prosciutto cotto (cooked ham) is a traditional Italian wet-cured ham made from the leg of the pig. It is a non-stuffed cured meat product, generally partially covered with pork rind, and is distinguished from spalla cotta, which is produced from the shoulder.

Description of prosciutto cotto

The product is made exclusively from the pork leg, which may be deboned and trimmed before processing. Depending on its classification, the ham retains different proportions of the muscles of the whole leg.

Prosciutto Cotto di Alta Qualità (High Quality Prosciutto Cotto) is the highest category. At least three of the four principal muscles of the whole pork leg must remain identifiable, while the moisture content must be between 75.5% and 76.5%. Prosciutto Cotto Scelto (Selected Prosciutto Cotto) must likewise contain at least three identifiable principal muscles from the whole pork leg. Its permitted moisture content is higher, ranging from 78.5% to 79.5%.

Standard Prosciutto Cotto has less restrictive requirements concerning the structure of the meat. The pork leg may be deboned, trimmed, divided into portions, and stripped of tendons and rind before processing. Its moisture content is permitted to range from 81% to 82%.

Production methods for prosciutto cotto

reated with a brine containing salt, flavourings and permitted curing agents, such as nitrites. The curing solution is distributed throughout the meat through tumbling or massaging, helping to achieve a more uniform seasoning. After curing, the leg is pressed into a mould to give the ham its characteristic shape and compact structure. It is subsequently cooked with steam, which completes the transformation of the cured meat and gives Prosciutto Cotto its characteristic cooked texture.

Nutritional facts table

Please note that nutritional values may vary slightly depending on the individual product.

Recipes that use this product as an ingredient:

Penne alla Larcianese (Larciano-style penne) 🇮🇹