San Daniele is the name of a place that is home to a sensational product that shares all its features: it is Friuli’s crowning achievement. Connected to a very old production method that has remained unchanged over the centuries, Prosciutto from San Daniele is a highly prized product. San Daniele Prosciutto DOP is made by curing fresh legs of Italian pork.

The processing technique, which has been passed down over hundreds of years by generations of master prosciutto craftsmen, involves various highly complex stages.

Once they have been trimmed and salted, the legs are washed and the unprotected part of the rind is covered with suet, which keeps the meat soft. The curing process transforms the fresh meat into prosciutto. The legs are hung up for 5 months in rooms with north-south facing windows to catch the warm winds from the Adriatic Sea and the contrasting cold winds that come from the Alps.

Once the "curing" is over, each prosciutto is rigorously checked. A small, pointed horse bone is inserted into five points of the meat and examined by experts with a heightened sense of smell.

Only prosciutto that meets the requirements will be fire-branded with the mark of the Consortium. Attention to detail, patience and love of tradition make Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) a truly unique product.

By Consorzio del Prosciutto di San Daniele with MiPAAF