Exciting new range of very high quality Italian meats
Plassey Food offers now an exciting new range of very high quality Italian meats ranging from Mortadella, Schiacciata and Panchetta to Pastrami, Salami and Prosciutto ( Parma ham).
Full details in our meats product catalogue under “Italian Quarter” or Ask your sales rep for more details!
Parma Ham – The tradition of Quality
Parma Ham is an all-natural product made from only four ingredients; Pork, Salt, Air and Time.
Pork
The pigs used in the production of Parma Ham must be bred in one of ten northern and central Italian regions. Only three breeds of pigs can be used for Parma Ham: Large White, Landrace and Duroc.
Salt
Salting is a vital part of the curing process. The expert ‘Maestro Salatore’ or ‘salt master’ must gauge only the exact amount of salt required. A minimum quantity of sea salt is needed to preserve and begin the drying process. This respects the tradition of ‘dolce’, which balances between salty and sweet.
Air
The Parma region has a special microclimate, ideal for the drying of ham. Fresh air blows across the countryside originating from the nearby coast. The air crosses the Apennines where it loses its saltiness
and dries. It takes on the perfumes of the vegetation it passes through, before it reaches the production area in the hills south of Parma. This is what gives the ham its unparalleled sweetness.
Time
The ham spends three months hanging during the ‘riposo’, or resting phase. The meat gradually becoming darker and harder. Around seven months after the salting process the ham is smeared with a mixture of rice flour, salt, and pork fat called ‘sugna’ to stop it drying too quickly for the remainder of its maturation.
By law, Parma Ham must be cured for at least one year before it is given the Ducal Crown firebrand, and some can be cured for up to three years
