What Makes Tuscan Prosciutto So Special
my salumi guy Stefano with a Tuscan Prosciutto from Casentino
In the US there are certain classic Italian products that almost everyone has heard of like Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano just to name a few. After living in Italy so long, it’s known here in Italy that you eat products that are typically local to your region with the exception of the larger cities that have access to most of the main classics. The few products I’ve mentioned known in the US are known because they have consortiums or larger marketing teams and budgets to make them a household name beyond Italy.
I live in Florence which is a city in Tuscany, and here we eat everything Tuscan. With it being Summer, no AC in most homes and seasonal eating we like to eat quick and easy things such as Prosciutto & Melone. A juicy, sweet cantaloupe called popóne or poponi in Tuscan is the perfect Summery bite with a bit of prosciutto that makes a magical sweet & savory combination. Locally we would definitely be using Tuscan prosciutto and not prosciutto from Parma because we are very proud of our local products, it’s sustainable and we like to know literally where are ingredients are from. Like what town, what farm, etc.
I had never even heard of Tuscan prosciutto when I was still living in the states, and I lived in NYC which was an international cosmopolitan city where you can find food from all over the world So what exactly is Tuscan prosciutto? This would be prosciutto made in Tuscany. There is Prosciutto Toscano DOP, denomination of protected origin, which would be called PDO in English for protected designation of origin.
In order for a prosciutto Toscano to be a DOP the process of making this prosciutto has to follow a set list of guidelines. First I must clarify there are different types of prosciutto: crudo, cotto and arrosto. I’m referring to prosciutto crudo in this post. A DOP prosciutto crudo should me made from pigs born and raised in Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Lombardia, Le Marche, Umbril or Lazio. The pigs must be of a certain age, and be raised with specific guidelines. This assures quality and authenticity to the prosciutto. They’re are more specific guidelines that can be found on the site of the Consorzio del Prosciutto Toscano.
Now this is just the beginning, now let’s get into the actual seasoning or cure/aging process of the prosciutto. Tuscan prosciutto is known as having a particular cure that contains black pepper, becuase we LOVE our black pepper in Tuscany. There is obviously salt, and other herbs & spices in the cure which is a distinguishable characteristic of Tuscan prosciutto. This combinations of spices & herbs would be black pepper (obviously), garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, juniper and other local herbs. Important to note that no additives are added to conserve such as nitrates. Once the prosciutto legs are seasoned they are left to rest horizontally for about 3 to 4 weeks at a controlled temperature.
After the first few weeks, they are then hung vertically and the back exterior of the prosciutto is covered in a mixture of pork fat, rice flour, salt and pepper to maintain a soft texture and allow a proper aging environment for the prosciutto.. During this next phase the prosciutto is checked on often to check the humidity and salt levels are flowing perfectly using a horsebone pick by an expert. The prosciutto leg is then marked with a seal with the symbol of consortium for Prosciutto Toscano DOP.
The last and final step is a name I love. It’s called pepatura. Pepe is pepper, so it’s the peppering. The exterior of the leg is covered completely in coarsely ground black pepper which is the indistinguishable flavor particular to Tuscan prosciutto. This process could take at least 12 months but can take longer.
Now not all prosciutto made in Tuscany is a DOP, but all DOP’s must follow these guidelines in order to have that label. There are other prosciuttos made in the region which are also really good, and some exceptional. One in particular is Prosciutto del Casentino which has a Slow Food Presidio. The spice blend in the cure is black pepper, chili pepper, nutmeg and juniper. The addition of chili pepper isn’t so much that it makes it spicy, but it does give it a slight kick. Depending on when this prosciutto is aged it can take from 12 to 18 months minimum for this process.
So not all the prosciutto’s are the same. If you have taken a pasta class or farmer’s market tour with me you will have tried this prosciutto, and if you’re visiting Florence definitely reach out to take a pasta class or farmer’s market tour or take a chance to try Tuscan prosciutto during your time here.
Sources:
https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/it/presidi-slow-food/prosciutto-del-casentino/#:~:text=La%20forma%20del%20prosciutto%20del,con%20note%20finali%20di%20affumicato.
