Prosciutto di Parma 24 Months Gold Label Boneless DOP

Prosciutto di Parma 

Prosciutto di Parma in Italian is a ham produced by the dry curing process with protected designation of origin - PDO. This means that the production of this ham must be carried out within some geographical limits around the city of Parma. and follow the requirements set by the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma.

How is Prosciutto di Parma  Produced?

Prosciutto di Parma is produced from Large White, Landrace and Duroc pigs, raised on authorized farms and located in 10 regions of central and northern Italy. These pigs are fed cereals and whey from the production of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.Only four ingredients are used in the process: a pig's back leg, salt, air and time.

Initial salting is performed with moist salt on the skin and dry salt on the muscles. Temperature is critical at this stage: the very cold leg does not absorb salt properly and salt is the only preservative used.

The first phase of salting lasts for one week. Then the residual salt is removed and the legs are covered with a thin layer of salt for a period of 15 to 18 days. Again the residual salt is removed and the legs are sent to refrigerated rooms where they will stay for 3 months.

After this phase, the hams are washed and transferred to airy rooms where they will cure the dry breeze of the region. In the fourth month, the exposed surfaces of the meat are dry, so they are coated with a paste made of salt, lard, and pepper that helps control moisture loss.

At the end of this process, the leg loses about a quarter of its weight, resulting in a smooth and aromatic flesh smell.

After 12 months, a quality check is performed by an independent inspector who punctures the ham at various locations to check for aromas that indicate failures in the curing process. Hams that pass the quality test will receive the Parma crown mark.

Main characteristics of Prosciutto di Parma

The aroma of Parma PDO ham is pleasant, its flesh, red-pink and the fat is white or pink. Do not remove the fat! It provides the classic sweet taste of Prosciutto di Parma.

How to buy Prosciutto di Parma

The best hams are the freshly sliced ones. The thin slices enhance the presentation of the meat and its organoleptic properties; when improperly stored they become dry and salty.

If you buy pre-sliced ham, the pack of sliced Prosciutto di Parma is identified by the black triangle in the upper right corner and the Parma crown mark. The name of the producer is identified on the lower left a stamp.

How to consume prosciutto di Parma

When you have a high-quality product like Parma DOP ham, do it like the Italians and taste it pure or in simple combinations that don't overlap with your taste, such as buffalo mozzarella, melon, figs, bread or salads.

Parma Sadia Ham: Made with Salt Pork Only

Prosciutto di Parma  Sadia is one of the few hams in the world that is made only with pork and salt, following the original Prosciutto di Parma production process. It goes through a maturing process of 12 months, which is the minimum period found in a legitimate Prosciutto di Parma.

How to recognize quality: the organoleptic characteristics

1. At the time of purchase, the Parma ham PDO must have a color between pink and red, with streaks and a rim of white fat. The presence of fat on the outside of the ham leg guarantees its softness. It must, therefore, be pronounced, even if not excessive.

2. The cut must be made only with the slicer, preferably mechanical, so the slice does not heat up. The ideal thickness, experts say, must be that of a bridal veil. The slice should not appear dry or translucent, let alone with slightly nutty or yellow tints. Too red, however, could mean that it is not sufficiently seasoned.

3. The scent must be free from hints of raw meat, it must show only the characteristic fragrance that suggests sweetness.

4. On the palate it must have a delicate and full taste, sweet (that is not very salty); the fat gives the whole a slightly buttery texture, complementary to the aromatic thickness of the meat.

Tasting: you get to the point

Parma ham PDO is excellent when eaten on its own, to fully appreciate its delicate and characteristic flavor, it goes particularly well with Ferrara croissants and lightly toasted homemade bread, perhaps covered with fresh chopped tomatoes, like bruschetta.

In the delicious Parma, it is tasted with the classic “torta fritta” (so-called the fried dumpling ) served very hot, and soft cheeses such as squacquerone (a winning combination, this one that characterizes the famous piadina romagnola ) and growth.

If you like vegetables, those steamed or boiled are perfect; fine sliced raw mushrooms in salads and courgettes, also grilled; to try with slices of carrot or potato passed in the oven or the pan, but with very little oil.

For a light tasting, roll it into thin slices on carrot sticks, asparagus, and freshly steamed kohlrabi. For those who love the sweet-savory contrast, try the combination with seasonal fruit: traditional but always excellent combinations with melon and figs, delicious ones with semi-sour fruit, such as Regina Claudia plums and blueberries, others with peaches or applesauce, as long as it is not too sweet. A good combination is with exotic fruit. And to toast? Both white wines and red wines are accompanied perfectly with Parma ham. Ideally, serve it with fresh white wines.

If you choose red wine, it goes well with a fruity Lambrusco and other wines with the same lightness characteristics, served at 14 ° temperature.

It should be remembered that, in addition to the typical Romagna piadina, Parma ham is the main ingredient of traditional Bolognese tortellini, roast pork called Rosa di Parma and many other tasty dishes.

A 100% natural product

One cannot blame the admirers of this great delicacy which, gastronomically speaking, together with Parmesan cheese is one of the symbols of the beautiful Emilian city.

A component without equal

So the ingredients of this Italian excellence are only pork thighs, salt and time. The great secret lies in the dry and delicate air of the fragrant Parma hills of the typical area of production, a truly privileged microclimate ideal for natural aging, the key to the characteristic sweetness and the unmistakable taste of Parma ham.

The thighs are seasoned for at least 10 months hung on the traditional " scalere ", which are wooden uprights, arranged at regular distances, in large rooms with opposite windows. These windows are opened alternately to allow the product to dry in the air, in the most natural way possible.

This boneless Prosciutto Gold Label is aged for a minimum of 24 months. The excellence of the raw material obtained from the finest national Italian breeders permits the use of a very small amount of salt. Salt cured and air-dried. Our Parma Prosciutto is made according to age-old tradition of salting and aging the hind legs of pigs, transforming them into a true Italian delicacy.

The DOP label guarantees both the origin and precise production process of the ham. The pig must be born and bred in 11 specific regions in Italy, and slaughtered only upon reaching a minimum weight of 150 kilos, or about 330 pounds. The meat is then moved to production facilities in or near Parma Italy, where the salting and aging process is carefully monitored. Then, the residual salt is removed and the prosciutto is transferred to a humid environment to further the absorption and distribution of the salt. After 6 weeks, the ham is washed and hung to dry for at least 18 months. Whenever possible, the windows of our storerooms are opened, allowing natural ventilation to coax the meat through the drying process.

Suggestion: Slice and enjoy the prosciutto as is. You may cook or fry as desired - a great snack is to roll these slices on mozzarella or on veggies like asparagus.

17 pound (7.5 kilogram) - WEIGHT APPROXIMATES

Ingredients: Pork, salt - boneless

Packaging: Vacuum-sealed Plastic

Aging: 24 months

Product of Italy