For Professionals

Genuine Parma Ham is always cured with the bone-in; for practical reasons, the bone can be removed before shipping the ham, which comes in a vacuum pack and is ready to be sliced on a machine.
A bone-in Parma Ham weighs 9 to 12 kgs. Deboned, it weighs 6 to 8 kgs.

Buying and Handling Steps:

1. Purchasing

• Bone-in Parma Ham can be sliced by hand or must be deboned for machine slicing.
• Parma Hams are cured at least one year and some as long as 30 months. Authentic Parma Hams will bear the indelible stamp of the Ducal Crown - a five pointed coronet logo with PARMA in the centre which is branded onto several parts of the ham's skin.

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2. Quality Standards

• Colour: The meat will range in colour from pale to deep rose. The fat surrounding a slice or running through it should be white or rosy in colour—not yellow.
• Aroma and Flavour: Parma Ham typically has a rich, sweet-salty fragrance and flavour. Longer-aged hams are likely to have a deeper, meatier flavour.
• Texture: Thin slices should be supple and velvety in appearance, with a slightly chewy consistency.
• Firebrand: Look for the five-point ducal crown brand, the mark that guarantees the authenticity of the Parma Ham.
• Age: A metal seal is attached to each ham during the salting stage, indicating the date at which processing began; this information can be used to calculate the age of the ham. All bone-in hams have to bear the metal seal, whereas in boneless hams it is normally removed together with the bone.

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3. Storage

• In its vacuum pack, boneless Parma Ham can be stored up to six months, refrigerated at 4°C to 8°C. Once the vacuum seal is broken and the slicing begins, the ham can be held under refrigeration up to 40 days.
• A whole bone-in Parma Ham will continue to cure when stored for up to 12 months under carefully controlled conditions--the temperature should range from 10°C to 16°C and humidity should not exceed 70%. After slicing begins, the ham will maintain its high quality for about 40 days.
• Freezing Parma Ham is not recommended. The texture may be damaged and the flavor diminished.

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4. Slicing

• Parma Ham should be sliced as needed, not in advance. Begin by removing the skin covering the portion to be sliced.
• rim any dried-out areas with a sharp knife. Traditionally, the outer layer of fat is not trimmed before (or after) slicing.
• For most purposes, Parma Ham is sliced in paper-thin, translucent slices.
• Thicker slices are appropriate when a recipe calls for diced Parma Ham. Smaller “end” slices are ideal for this purpose.
• Lay the slices side by side, with layers separated by deli paper. Wrap well with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
• Slicing bone-in Parma Ham is an art that calls for knowledge and practice. If you are interested in acquiring this skill, ask your supplier for a referral to someone who knows how.
• Cover the cut end of the remaining ham with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

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