Should good prosciutto be refrigerated?

I recently bought a whole bunch of really good, freshly-cut prosciutto in Italy, and I plan to eat it in about a week or two. However, I'm reluctant to stick it in the fridge until that time. In my experience, when I put deli meats or cheese in the fridge, they start to lose their flavor and texture pretty quickly, even if carefully wrapped in butcher paper. Also, in the past, I've carried around a vacuuum-sealed packet of freshly cut jamon iberico for about two weeks without refrigeration, and it did not suffer at all for it. (My current prosciutto bundle is vacuum-sealed as well.) This makes sense to me because it's a cured meat after all, but maybe it was a fluke and I'm totally off.

Is it OK to play it safe and avoid the refrigerator? Or should I stick it in the fridge ASAP? (It's already been out for a few days.) It's my utmost priority that the prosciutto feel and taste as close to fresh as possible! If I take it out and it's stiff and flavorless, I'm going to cry.

In addition to the prosciutto, I also have some mortadella. My understanding is that it's not "cured" like prosciutto is. Should it be treated differently?

Best Answer

Mortadella does need to be refrigerated.

As for the proscuitto ... if it's real cured ham (and not the fake 'cured' stuff you get in the US) and was trimmed with a clean knife and wasn't otherwise contaminated when being cut, and it's not the middle of the summer where you are, it's likely fine being stored in a cool area of your kitchen.

Mind you, the US FDA would't agree, and you would get cited for health code violations if you were a restaurant. You may also want to be more cautious if you're going to be serving the meat to people with compromised or otherwise weak immune systems (eg, small children or the infirm).

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Quick Answer about "Should good prosciutto be refrigerated?"

Prosciutto is a type of ready-to-eat

Does packaged prosciutto need to be refrigerated?

When it comes to prosciutto in vacuum-sealed packaging, be it whole or sliced, prosciutto should be refrigerated at all times. Sliced prosciutto is especially perishable.

What happens if you dont refrigerate prosciutto?

If not refrigerated, it goes bad in a matter of hours and can cause serious food poisoning. As it doesn't contain preservatives and is exposed to air, cooked prosciutto can quickly become contaminated with bacteria or even parasites.

How do you store prosciutto?

A boneless Prosciutto di Parma can be stored in its vacuum pack up to 12 months, refrigerated at 40 \u030aF to 42 \u030aF.

Once the vacuum seal is broken and slicing begins, the ham can be held under refrigeration up to 40 days. ...

After slicing, cover the cut surface tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

How do you store prosciutto after opening?

Same as with ham, keep prosciutto in the fridge ([USDA]) and wrapped tightly. If you're buying it pre-packaged, the plastic packaging is often resealable. That makes sealing any leftover slices a breeze. If that's not an option, wrap the prosciutto tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or paper.

English Tutorial: Storing Parma Ham

More answers regarding should good prosciutto be refrigerated?

Answer 2

Just want to report that I've since opened all my meats and put them in the refrigerator. They are stored as follows: stuck to butcher paper and plastic as packaged by the deli, then placed inside their original plastic sleeves, then all together wrapped loosely in butcher paper, and then finally placed inside a large zip-lock bag and compressed to let as much of the air out as possible. It's been about four days, and I am happy to report that once brought to room temperature, the quality and texture still appear to be as good as fresh.

Answer 3

My usual hiking partners and I have used prosciutto on several camping trips lasting between 5 and 14 days all mid summer. We have never had a problem with cured meats not being refrigerated. They taste great and have never given any of us any stomach issues. Salted pork has been around for a lot longer than refrigeration has. However as with anything read with caution and take advise at your own risk.

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