Culatta

Discover Culatta Zuarina: Parma's finest, 100% Italian, preservative-free, and aged for 14 months in Langhirano. A soft ham with a sweet, delicate flavor, gluten-free and dairy-free.

Culatta Zuarina stands out for its sweet, soft and enveloping taste.

It is produced in Langhirano, near Parma, in the heart of Italy's Food Valley, where the ideal climate enhances its qualities.
The CLAI supply chain guarantees product excellence, monitoring every stage: from the selection of the best Italian pigs to the expert processing and patient maturation lasting over 14 months.

Culatta Zuarina con cotenna - CLAI
Culatta Zuarina con cotenna - CLAI
€168,80
Culatta Zuarina con cotenna
SPEDIZIONE GRATUITA
Culatta Zuarina con cotenna in scatola di legno - CLAI
Culatta Zuarina con cotenna in scatola di legno - CLAI
€179,90
Culatta Zuarina con cotenna in wooden box
SPEDIZIONE GRATUITA

What is Culatta?

Culatta is a cured meat obtained from the most prized part of the pig's thigh, characterised by the presence of the rind and the small bone called the hip bone, which help to preserve the softness and maintain the structure of the meat during curing.

It is covered with lard to protect it from drying out and allow for balanced ripening.

The maturation of the culatta generally lasts between 12 and 16 months, a process that gives it a sweet and delicate flavour, with refined and complex aromatic notes.

Thanks to this careful and artisanal processing, the culatta maintains a soft and enveloping consistency , making it a cured meat of absolute excellence.

The Differences Between Culatta and Culatello

Although they come from the same anatomical part of the pig, the culatta and the culatello differ in their processing and structure:

  • Culatta : it is aged with the rind and the hip, which protect the meat, preserving a soft consistency and a delicate, sweet flavour.

    A distinctive feature of Culatta is the sugnatura (sugnatura), or coating of fat (lard) on the outer surface during curing. This process keeps the meat tender and prevents drying out, ensuring a final product with a smooth and juicy texture. Culatta is more affordable than Culatello, while still offering a refined flavor experience. It's the ideal choice for those seeking a quality cured meat at a more affordable price.
  • Culatello : it is processed without rind and enclosed in a natural bladder, which gives it a firm texture. The long curing process allows the product to mature, maintaining a dry and refined texture.

Culatta is a cured meat made from the back of the pork leg, similar to prosciutto crudo and culatello, but with a unique sweetness and soft texture. One of its distinguishing features is sugnatura, a process that involves applying fat to the surface of the cured meat during curing to keep it soft and prevent drying out.

Culatta and culatello are two prized cured meats, both made from the rear part of the pig's leg, and share a sweet, delicate flavor. The main differences are in processing: Culatta retains the rind and is larded to preserve its tenderness, while culatello is cured without the rind and larded, resulting in a firmer texture.

The price of Culatta Zuarina starts at 28 euros per kg for the whole version with rind . This price reflects the quality of the product and the long curing process, which can last up to 16 months. For the boneless version , the cost is slightly higher due to the additional processing required to remove the bone. In general, prices for Culatta in Italy can vary between 25 and 37 euros per kg, depending on the curing process and the type of processing.

Culatta is cured for 12-16 months, during which time it is larded to protect the meat and preserve its tenderness. The process begins with a cold phase to allow the salt to distribute evenly, followed by a long aging period in controlled environments. This method ensures that the culatta develops a complex and refined flavor, while maintaining a soft and juicy texture thanks to the rind and lard.

The historic Zuarina brand, a passion that has lasted over 160 years.

There are a select few companies in Italy that are truly excellent, with a history spanning at least 50 years, and can proudly boast the title of "Historic Brand of National Interest."

In the case of the Zuarina ham factory, it all began in 1860, in Langhirano, a small town on the hilly slopes of the Parma Apennines.

Here, the Apennine forests meet the Versilia sea breeze, which, picking up the aroma of the pine forests and the scent of the chestnut groves, imparts a sweetness and unmistakable flavor to the hams. The slow and patient curing of the hams follows the rhythm of the seasons, respecting tradition and ancient know-how.

What Makes Culatta Zuarina Unique?

Culatta Zuarina is the result of meticulous craftsmanship and constant attention to quality. Zuarina represents true sartorial art: only the finest thighs, the right amount of salt, long curing times, and the expertise of expert artisans transform this cured meat into a unique experience of sweetness and aroma.
Lavorazione prosciutto crudo di Parma DOP

Raw material

Zuarina selects exclusively legs from heavy pigs born and raised in the Po Valley. Many of these legs come from CLAI supply chain members, ensuring direct quality control. Each leg is carefully assessed by experts, who analyze its shape, potential yield, and any imperfections. Selecting excellent raw materials is the essential first step in creating a high-quality product.
Salagione prosciutto crudo di Parma Dop, fasi di lavorazione del prosciutto

A pinch of salt and a lot of love

"We get the salt directly from the salt pans and we choose the different grains ourselves depending on the type of processing, which is done both manually and mechanically," explains Marcello Barilli, the plant's production manager. Salt is the only ingredient added to the carefully selected Italian meat. And it's used sparingly, to maintain the proverbial sweetness of Zuarina prosciutto. No preservatives, no additives, nothing else.

Time to time

Culatta Zuarina is aged for at least 14 months in the underground cellars of the Cascinapiano factory in Langhirano, an evocative environment that offers the ideal conditions for a slow and delicate process. Here, the salt is carefully distributed throughout the meat, giving it a refined aroma and a soft texture. Each stage of this process is patiently monitored, enhancing the flavors and aromas that make Culatta a unique cured meat.
Analisi organolettica prosciutto crudo di parma dop zuarina

The art of knowing how to do things

Zuarina's artisanal care transforms each culatta into a masterpiece of flavor and tradition. The "sugnatura," applied strictly by hand, delicately envelops the exposed part of the thigh, sealing the meat and preserving its tenderness, while expertly retaining moisture.

Visit the Zuarina production plant with Chef Max Mariola