Whole Prosciutto

The product that, more than any other, has led us to be known and loved by our customers, an ancient craft carried out according to the strict rules of Tuscan tradition. Our prosciutto is made by salting the whole leg, with the bone and also the trotter of the pig. This allows the meat, during the long curing (for years never less than 45 months), to express its flavour to the full.

In appearance, the slice has a rosy, very fragrant fat, with a sweet and delicate flavour that begins to soften and melt under the blade of the knife, then disappears into a very soft cloud in the mouth, which perfectly balances the lean part, a deep, intense and compact red, sometimes marbled, decidedly more complex to taste, with the typical savouriness of the Tuscan tradition, but also with a softness that comes from the conscious choice of curing it whole. The bone naturally releases moisture and gives very intense flavours during the years of curing; all this is found when chewing, allowing you to best savour all the aromatic notes.

The long active life of the pig and the pasture finishing give the mature meat and the fat a unique, intense texture and flavour that have been lost and flattened in the standards of intensive farming. The traditional salting, without brine but with coarse salt, and the long natural curing allow the prosciutto to mature, bringing out scents and aromas that are always different and new in every product, because animals naturally differ in physique and character, and this gives them a different physical conformation. An example is the ratio between lean and fat, which is not constant between different prosciuttos (even between the two legs of the same pig). Nor should we forget the climate in which the pig was born and went through the various stages of its development; last but not least, the weather also affects the curing: outside temperature and atmospheric humidity greatly affect the curing times.

It is in fact not uncommon to see, inside the lean part of the prosciutto, small white dots or crystals. This is absolutely not a defect, a mould or salt that has entered the flesh, but is instead an indicator of quality and of prolonged curing of the product. They can begin to appear between 16 and 24 months of curing, when a natural protein breakdown of the meat releases the amino acids present in it; this, with the dehydration of the curing, leads the amino acids first to concentrate and then to crystallise. They do not alter the flavour of the slice of prosciutto, but while chewing you may feel something more or less (depending on the size of the crystal) “crunchy” that crackles under the teeth.

To best express its aromas and flavours, it should be stored in a cool, dry cellar or pantry/garage, with light ventilation and free of mould or other strong odours (to avoid contamination), cut strictly by hand with a well-sharpened knife and then closed again with its own cover (the first layer of fat) or with cling film to prevent oxidation of the slice, and then wrapped in a white, natural cotton cloth, to stop the covering from shifting.

We recommend pairing it with unsalted Tuscan bread (low in salt) and a glass of Chianti. The former is the natural companion of the bite: being low in salt, with a neutral crumb, it will blend perfectly with the prosciutto, both with the lean part and, above all, with the fatty part, giving you the chance to best savour all the scents and aromas, while the latter has the right body to accompany the flavour and is also perfect for cleansing the palate of its richness. We strongly advise against using it in cooking, so as not to heighten the saltiness almost entirely at the expense of taste and flavour.