San Daniele del Friuli, Udine province, Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The curing of hams at San Daniele is documented from Roman times — the natural microclimate was recognized as exceptional for ham preservation from the earliest period. DOP status granted in 1996.
Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP is one of the world's great cured hams: produced exclusively in San Daniele del Friuli (Udine province), where the unique convergence of cold mountain air from the Carnic Alps and warm humid breezes from the Adriatic creates the precise microclimate required for the 12-month minimum curing process. The ham is distinguished from Parma prosciutto by its guitar shape (the hoof is retained — gipon con zampino), its sweeter, less salty character, and the specific trimming that exposes more of the fat on one side. It is considered by many to be the finest prosciutto produced in Italy.
San Daniele prosciutto at its best has a sweetness that Parma prosciutto does not — the fat is clean and almost floral; the lean has a concentrated, nutty character; the slight salt is in perfect equilibrium. It does not announce itself with aggression — it reveals itself over the course of a slice.
Only the hind leg of Italian-bred, Italian-fed heavy pigs (minimum 160kg live weight, defined breeds) is used. The hoof is retained throughout the curing — it is not removed as it is for Parma. Trimming creates the characteristic guitar shape (chitarra). The leg is salted by hand (massaged with sea salt only — no additives, nitrates, or preservatives are permitted in DOP specification), then left under weight for a period equal to one day per kilogram of weight. After the salting period, the ham is rested in a cold room for the salt to equalize. Sugnatura (covering exposed meat with a mixture of lard, salt, and black pepper) seals the exposed surface. The ham is hung in the curing rooms with windows oriented to the east-west to capture both Alpine and Adriatic air currents, for a minimum of 13 months total.
The fat of San Daniele prosciutto is the key to its flavour — it should be kept on the slice and eaten (not trimmed). The fat has a sweet, clean flavour from the corn-and-grain diet of the pigs. A young San Daniele (13-15 months) is sweeter and more delicate; an aged one (18-24 months) is more concentrated and complex. Both are correct.
Serving at refrigerator temperature — prosciutto di San Daniele must be served at room temperature (18-20°C) to appreciate its fat's sweetness and the ham's full aroma. Slicing too thick — the correct slice is almost translucent (under 1mm); thick slices change the texture and flavour entirely. Over-pairing — the ham's sweetness is best served with simple vehicles (breadsticks, melon, or on its own).
Giorgio Locatelli, Made in Italy; Corby Kummer, The Pleasures of Slow Food