Prosciutto di Parma
On Gingerguide's self-guided Parma audio tour, Prosciutto di Parma is a stop worth about ~90 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type market
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Parma Parma guide
About Prosciutto di Parma
Prosciutto di Parma is the world's most celebrated dry-cured ham, produced exclusively in the hills around Langhirano south of Parma, where the Apennine air-cured pork legs hang in traditional curing houses for 18 to 30 months, protected by the crown brand of the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma.
Prosciutto di Parma is one of Italy's most protected and celebrated food products, a DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) product whose production is strictly regulated by the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. The ham is produced exclusively in a legally defined zone in the hills south of Parma, principally in the town of Langhirano, where the climate, characterised by cool, dry air flowing from the Apennine mountains, creates the ideal conditions for natural slow drying. Production begins with selected pigs, bred and fed to specific standards in northern and central Italy. The fresh legs are salted by hand by master salatores (salters), a process requiring considerable skill and judgment, and then begin a long, slow curing process lasting at least 18 months and often up to 30 months or more. During this time the legs lose up to 30 per cent of their original weight through moisture loss. The finished product bears the five-pointed crown brand stamped into the skin, the seal of the consortium, and is characterised by a sweet, delicate flavour that distinguishes it from more heavily salted cured hams.
Did you know? Prosciutto di Parma inspectors test the finished ham by inserting a needle made from horse bone into five specific points of each leg and sniffing the needle, the horse bone needle absorbs the aromas of the ham uniquely and then releases them cleanly when smelled, allowing the expert to judge internal quality without cutting the ham open.
How much time do you need at Prosciutto di Parma?
Around ~90 min works well for Prosciutto di Parma — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Prosciutto di Parma?
Yes — Prosciutto di Parma made the cut as one of 20 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Parma. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Parma
Hear the story of Prosciutto di Parma
Preview the Parma tour free in the Gingerguide app.