Prosciutto San Daniele Dop, the top Italian ham

Aug 10 2022, 08:25 | by Gambero Rosso

This unique product is born from the small town in the province of Udine. A salt-cured meat that becomes sweet and melts in the mouth. Only three ingredients allowed: Italian pork meat, sea salt and the San Daniele microclimate

San Daniele is an ultra historic and ultra traditional ham. In a hypothetical national Olympic all-star team of products derived from the "pig" it would probably be the flagbearer. It was one of the first foods to obtain the PDO appellation and to be protected by a consortium, born almost 60 years ago. Above all, San Daniele ham is aware of the role it plays and proud to maintain it, making good use of a rigorous disciplinary to safeguard its quality.

Ingredients

As the Consortium wishes to clarify, San Daniele is produced with only three ingredients (no additives or preservatives): select Italian pork legs, sea salt and the particular microclimate of San Daniele, a small centre in the province of Udine of only 35 sq km. It is only here, in fact, that San Daniele is produced by the 31 member companies of the Consortium.

The hallmark is the Consortium's brand name that is stamped on the rind is a circle with the stylized letters SD in the middle and the numerical identification code of each individual manufacturer.

Tasting

As soon as it is opened, a gossamer slice of San Daniele is reddish-pink in the lean part and pure white in correspondence of the fat. The aroma is delicate and becomes more persistent with aging. In the mouth, the slice is tender and melts easily. The palate picks up nuances of toasted bread crust, notes of nuts and barley malt.

Important. Don't discard the fat, it's an essential part of San Daniele. Without a layer of good fat around the lean heart and inside a fine long-cured ham would not be possible to age.

Nutritional properties

For its high nutritional value and easy digestibility, guaranteed by a maturation of no less than 13 months, San Daniele ham is suited for any diet, ideal for people who practice sports, children, the elderly and also for those adhering to a low-calorie regimen. Because of its natural characteristics, this is a product that's highly recommended by nutritionists within food programs that help the body stay healthy. In addition, it's an excellent source of high-quality noble proteins, vitamins and minerals.