Culatta

Discover Zuarina Culatta: an excellence from Parma, 100% Italian, preservative-free, aged for 14 months in Langhirano. A tender prosciutto with a sweet, delicate flavor, free from gluten and dairy products.

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

It is born in Langhirano, near Parma, in the heart of Italy's Food Valley, where ideal climatic conditions enhance its qualities.
CLAI 's supply chain guarantees the excellence of the product, controlling every step: from the selection of the best Italian pigs, to expert processing and patient aging for more than 14 months.

About Culatta

Culatta is a cured meat made from the most valuable part of the pig's thigh, characterized by the presence of the rind and small bone called the anchetta, which help to preserve the tenderness and maintain the structure of the meat during aging.

It is covered with suet to protect it from drying out and allow for balanced maturation.

The aging of Culatta generally lasts between 12 and 16 months, a process that gives it a sweet and delicate flavor with refined, complex aromatic notes.

Thanks to this careful, artisanal process, Culatta retains a soft and enveloping texture, 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, Culatta and Culatello differ in their processing and structure:

  • Culatta: is cured with the rind and hips, which protect the meat, preserving a soft texture and a delicate, sweet taste.

    A distinctive aspect of culatta is sugnatura, or the application of fat (suet) to the outer surface during curing. This process keeps the meat soft and prevents drying out, ensuring a final product with an enveloping and juicy texture. Breech is more affordable than culatello, while still offering a refined taste experience. It is an ideal choice for those who want a quality cured meat at a lower price.
  • Culatello: it is processed without the rind and encased in a natural bladder, which gives it a compact texture. The long aging period allows the product to mature while maintaining a dry and refined texture.

Culatta is a cured meat made from the back of the pig's thigh, similar to prosciutto crudo and culatello, but with a process that makes it unique for its sweetness and soft texture. One of its distinguishing features is sugnatura, a process in which fat is applied to the surface of the cured meat during curing to keep it soft and prevent it from drying out.

Culatta and culatello are two fine cured meats, both made from the back part of the pig's thigh, and share a sweet and delicate flavor. The main differences are in the processing: breech retains the rind and is sugnated to preserve its tenderness, while culatello is cured without the rind and not sugnated, resulting in a more compact product.

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 period, 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, breech prices in Italy can vary between 25 and 37 euros per kg, depending on seasoning and type of processing

The breech is aged for a period of 12 to 16 months, during which time it is sugnated to protect the meat and preserve its tenderness. The process begins with a cold phase to allow the salt to distribute evenly, followed by lengthy curing in controlled environments. This method ensures that the breech develops a complex and refined flavor while maintaining a soft and juicy texture due to the rind and suet

The historic Zuarina brand, a passion lasting for over 160 years.

There is a limited number of companies in Italy, of absolute excellence and with a history of at least 50 years, that can bear 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 foothills of the Parma Apennines.

Here, the woods of the Apennines meet the sea breeze from Versilia which, infused with the aroma of pine forests and the scent of chestnut groves, imparts to the hams an unmistakable sweetness and fragrance. The slow and patient curing of the hams follows the rhythm of the seasons, respecting tradition and the ancient craftsmanship.

What Makes Zuarina Culatta Unique?

Zuarina Culatta is the result of meticulous processing and constant attention to quality. Zuarina represents a true sartorial art: only the finest pork legs, the right amount of salt, long aging, and the expertise of skilled artisans transform this cured meat into a unique experience of sweetness and aroma.
Parma ham PDO processing

Ingredients

Zuarina selects only heavy pork legs from pigs born and raised in the Po Valley. Many of these legs come from CLAI supply chain members, ensuring direct control over quality. Each leg is carefully evaluated by experts, who analyze its shape, potential yield, and any imperfections. The choice of excellent raw material is the first essential step in creating a high-quality product.
Parma PDO raw ham salting, ham processing steps

A pinch of salt and a lot of love

We receive the salt directly from the salt pans and we choose the different grains depending on the type of process, which is carried out both by hand and by machine,’ explains Marcello Barilli, production director of the plant. Salt is the only ingredient added to the carefully selected Italian meat. And only a small amount is used, to preserve the renowned sweetness of Zuarina prosciutto. No preservatives, no additives, nothing else.

Time is the secret

Zuarina Culatta is aged for at least 14 months in the underground cellars of the Cascinapiano facility in Langhirano, an evocative environment that offers the ideal conditions for a slow and delicate process. Here, the salt gently penetrates the meat, giving it a refined aroma and a tender texture. Every stage of this journey is followed with patience, enhancing the flavors and aromas that make Culatta a truly unique cured meat.
Organoleptic analysis prosciutto crudo di parma dop zuarina

The Art of Mastery

Zuarina’s artisanal care transforms each Culatta into a masterpiece of taste and tradition. The sugnatura, carried out strictly by hand, gently covers the exposed part of the leg, sealing the meat and preserving its tenderness while expertly retaining moisture., carried out strictly by hand, gently covers the exposed part of the leg, sealing the meat and preserving its tenderness while expertly retaining moisture.

Visit the Zuarina production facility with Chef Max Mariola