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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Everyday Life • Food & Drink

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham, usually served thinly sliced.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham, typically sliced paper-thin and prized for its delicate, salty flavour. In English, the term usually refers to prosciutto crudo, the uncooked cured version.

What it is

Prosciutto is made from a pig’s hind leg, preserved with salt, air, and time. The Italian word simply means "ham," but in English it commonly denotes prosciutto crudo (uncooked, dry-cured ham), as opposed to prosciutto cotto (cooked ham).

Key details

The curing process can last months to years, relying only on salt, air, and time. Prosciutto is served very thinly sliced, often as antipasto, on pizza, in pasta, or in sandwiches. Regional varieties like Prosciutto di Parma are especially well-known.

Why it matters

Prosciutto is a staple of Italian charcuterie and widely available in Canadian supermarkets, delis, and restaurants. It also appears on menus as a premium ingredient, and some Canadian producers make cured hams in the prosciutto style.

In short

  • Prosciutto is dry-cured Italian ham, usually served thin.
  • Prosciutto crudo is uncooked; prosciutto cotto is cooked.
  • Made from pork leg, salt, air, and time.
  • Common in antipasto, sandwiches, pizza, and pasta.
Canadian angle

Prosciutto is widely sold in Canadian supermarkets, delis, and restaurants, and appears on menus as an Italian charcuterie item. Canadian readers may also encounter Canadian-made cured hams marketed in the prosciutto style, though the term originates from Italy.

Quick questions

What is prosciutto?
Prosciutto is a dry-cured Italian ham, usually served in very thin slices.
Is prosciutto cooked?
Prosciutto crudo is not cooked; it is preserved by salting and drying. Prosciutto cotto is the cooked variety.
What does prosciutto mean in Italian?
In Italian, prosciutto is the general word for ham, not only the dry-cured kind.

Sources

  1. Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosciutto
    Supports: Definition as dry-cured salted Italian ham usually sliced thin.
  2. Dictionary.com — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/prosciutto
    Supports: Meaning, thin slicing, pork origin, and use in dishes.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosciutto
    Supports: Italian meaning of prosciutto, distinction between crudo and cotto, and pork hind leg origin.
  4. Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prosciutto
    Supports: Italian dried ham served in very thin slices.
  5. Eataly — https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/culture-and-tradition/what-is-prosciutto
    Supports: Curing process, pork legs, seasoning, drying, flavour, and varieties.
  6. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/prosciutto-ham
    Supports: Dry-cured Italian origin, generic Italian meaning of ham, ingredients, and curing time.
  7. BBC Good Food — https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/prosciutto-glossary
    Supports: Italian use, crudo/cotto distinction, and Prosciutto di Parma example.
  8. Treccani — https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/prosciutto/
    Supports: Italian dictionary definition, preparation, and thin slicing.