Prosciutto And The Italian Love Affair
from Italian Traditional Food

Prosciutto is not just lunchmeat

There are many lunchmeats today that just scream delicious, but when you introduce a fine Italian bun with Prosciutto something magical happens.

This fine Italian lunchmeat has been around for centuries, and the Italians have perfected this wonderful meat. You can find Prosciutto throughout Italy, and as with most foods originating out of Italy the meat is usually regional specific.

What this means is that each lunchmeat, from each region in Italy tastes a bit different. Prosciutto has become extremely popular throughout the world, and still to this day the very best makers of this delightful meat come right out of the heart of Italy.

After All Its Only Ham

What many people do not know about Prosciutto is that it is only ham. This ham has been cured or dried, and is stored in cool dry places to preserve naturally. This meat is wonderful on a large crusty bun or bread, and will graciously accept the company of great strong mustard.

Many people even use this old lunchmeat on top of pizza, Focaccia bread, and Bruschetta. This is very simple meat to work with once it has been cured, and you can actually slice this meat very thinly.

Sometimes people will opt to enjoy this meat with a plate of cheeses and some dry wine to wash it all down. This lunchmeat is considered a great item to use as a form of social eating with family and friends for its simplicity and ease to roll.

A Long Slow Prep

Usually Prosciutto takes anywhere from 9 to18 months to prepare, the first step is to clean the ham, and then leave it to set for approximately 2 months while it salts. This time frame is of course dependant on the size of the ham that is being used.

Once the ham has been salted and set for the 2-month period, the ham will be cleaned of all the salts and pressed to remove any existing blood from the ham. This is a very delicate operation as you must be sure to not crush the bone inside. Once the ham has been pressed, it will be wrapped and hung in a shady location to cure.

Once the ham has been through the entire process and has actually dried from the wrapped hanging, it is set at a room temperature for approximately 18 months. Usually the traditional method of making Prosciutto required you to make it in the winter by hand. This meat was set even longer at 3 years rather than the standard 18 months.

In Good Company

Prosciutto is a fantastic lunchmeat, that many people enjoy eating on a daily basis. This lunchmeat is actually in good company when it comes to meats that are enjoyed regularly coming out if Italy. Such fine lunchmeats as: Soppressata, Salami, and Mortadella all are enjoyed on a regular basis in Italy and aboard today.

Many of the North American delis and grocery stores pride themselves on the fine Italian lunchmeats that they offer to their customers, and they are always a big seller.

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