Selection and
trimming
The fresh hind legs arrive at the prosciutto factories directly from the slaughterhouse. After the preliminary conformity check they are trimmed. In this step the provisional brand DOT is applied and they are stored for 24 hours at about 0 °C to firm up the meat.
Salting
After cooling, the hind legs are covered with sea salt and kept on the horizontal plane, at a temperature between 0° C and +3° C. As is customary, the thighs are left in salt for a number of days equal to their weight in kilograms.
Pressing
After the salting, the pork thighs are cleaned from the residual salt and undergo the pressing stage to give the meat an optimal texture for the aging. In this step the thigh takes the typical guitar shape.
Rest
The pork thighs rest until the fourth month in dedicated, temperature and moisture controlled rooms, carrying on the dehydration process started with the salting.
Washing
After the rest the thighs are washed with jets of water, thus firming up the meat. The thermal shock stimulates the maturation process.
Drying
The meat is then “revived” at medium temperatures for about one week.
Aging
The pork thighs are conveyed to the aging rooms in natural temperature and moisture conditions. The Product Specification requires that the aging takes place in San Daniele del Friuli and that it lasts until the thirteenth month since the beginning of the processing.
Smearing
On the part that is not covered by the rind the “sugna”, that is a mixture of pork fat and grain flour, is applied to keep that part of the pork thigh soft and protected. This process can be repeated twice during the aging.
Piercing
To assess the progress of maturation the piercing is carried out, inserting a horse-bone needle in some points of the thigh to evaluate the aromas and the flavours.
Branding
After thirteen months from the beginning of the processing the prosciutti meeting all the requirements of the Product Specification are certified by the inspection body by means of the Consortium’s fire marking.
