Making Prosciutto with skin off (Wrapping in butcher paper?)
Can I make prosciutto if my ham has no skin? Will this be a problem? I was going to try it anyway but the question becomes, do I just coat the whole ham in struto? And then do I wrap it in butcher paper or double wrap it in cheesecloth?
Best Answer
I don't want to discourage you, but given your other question on pancetta, it appears that you are both new to curing and lack the ideal curing conditions. Making a prosciutto is much more challenging. Ideal conditions are necessary. To specifically answer your question, you definitely want the skin on. Think about it. A cured ham has to hang for a year or more. You are going to want that layer of skin to help regulate the drying and protect the fat and meat. If it were me, I would either enjoy it fresh, or (depending on what you have) butcher it into smaller muscles, cure, tie, and hang those.
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How do you seal prosciutto?
Wrap the meat in cheesecloth, then tie and hang it somewhere flies won't be able to get to easily. It should hang for at least six to seven months \u2014 the longer, the better. You can let it dry for two years if you have the patience. Unwrap your prosciutto, debone it, and remove the skin.How do you make homemade prosciutto ham?
Final Curing By law, Prosciutto di Parma destined for the U.S. must be cured for at least 400 days (starting from date of first salting), and some may be cured as long as three years.Making Prosciutto at home with John! Part One
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