Prosciutto di Parma, The Signature of Zuarina

Discover Zuarina Prosciutto di Parma, a historic company from Langhirano renowned for its tradition and artisanal mastery. Made from carefully selected pork and aged with care, Zuarina Prosciutto di Parma, whole or deboned, offers an authentic and unmistakable flavor.

Prosciutto di Parma

Prosciutto di Parma, whose name comes from the Latin "perexsuctum" (which literally means "dried"), is a healthy, genuine, and high-quality product.

No preservatives or additives are used, resulting in a tasty and completely natural ham.

In addition to pork leg and sea salt, two other fundamental elements play a role in its preparation: time and the wind from the fragrant Parma hills, characterized by a dry and gentle breeze.

This territory, located in a very small area of the province of Parma, offers the ideal climate conditions for natural curing, giving Prosciutto di Parma its unmistakable sweetness and flavor.

As a PDO product, Prosciutto di Parma undergoes a rigorous production process that culminates in a thorough inspection and the branding of the Ducal Crown. This distinctive mark guarantees consumers absolute excellence and authenticity.

For more information, visit the official website of the Parma Consortium: www.prosciuttodiparma.com

The cost of a whole prosciutto crudo can vary greatly depending on its quality, aging, and brand. The price of Prosciutto di Parma PDO is determined by several factors:

  • PDO Certification: the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) ensures that Prosciutto di Parma is produced in compliance with strict regulations on quality and geographical origin. This certification process adds value to the product.
  • Quality and tradition: Prosciutto di Parma is renowned for its high quality and the traditional production methods that are followed. This includes long aging times and the exclusive use of natural ingredients, such as sea salt.
  • Seasoning: PDO Parma ham is often aged for longer periods than other hams, as evidenced by variants aged for 24 or 36 months. The long aging contributes to a richer, more complex flavor.

Zuarina raw ham can be purchased online from €18.95 per kg *.

Take advantage of the many promotions to buy it at an even better price.

* Price indicates value per kg, but the product it refers to can only be purchased whole.

Here is the complete production process of Prosciutto di Parma PDO, broken down into its main stages:

  1. Isolation: Pigs for Parma Ham production are raised exclusively in 11 Italian regions. They must belong to specific genetic types and meet strict requirements, such as being over 9 months old and having a carcass weight between 110.1 kg and 168.0 kg. These pigs are certified through documentation and a tattoo affixed by the breeder.
  2. Cooling: Fresh thighs are refrigerated for 24 hours in special chambers. This cooling allows the meat to firm up, facilitating subsequent processing steps.
  3. Trimming: At this stage, the leg is trimmed to take on the characteristic "chicken leg" shape. Some of the fat and rind is removed for aesthetic reasons and to prepare the thigh for salting. Legs with imperfections are discarded.
  4. Salting: Salting is done with sea salt, without the use of preservatives or additives. The thighs are treated with wet and dry salt and then placed in cold storage. After an initial treatment, the residual salt is removed and the thighs are salted again.
  5. Resting: After salting, the legs are placed in resting cells with controlled temperature and humidity conditions. This allows the salt to penetrate the meat evenly, ensuring proper preservation.
  6. Washing and Drying: After resting, the thighs are washed to remove any salt residue and dried by taking advantage of natural environmental conditions or specific dryers.
  7. Pre-ripening: Hams are hung on "ladders" in large rooms with opposing windows, allowing natural and gradual drying.
  8. Sugnatura: From the fifth month onward, uncovered muscle parts are covered with suet, a mixture of pork fat, salt and pepper, to prevent the outer parts from drying out too quickly compared to the inner parts.
  9. Maturation: The ham is transferred to cellars where it continues to mature for at least 12 months. This process gives the ham its unique flavor and aroma.
  10. Puncturing: During maturation, experts conduct olfactory examinations by inserting a bone needle into different points of the thigh to assess quality and proper progress.
  11. Branding: After at least 14 months have elapsed from the start of processing and after passing all quality controls, the ham is branded with the "Ducal Crown," which identifies it as authentic Prosciutto di Parma PDO.

These strictly controlled steps ensure that each Parma Ham meets the high standards of quality and tradition of the Parma Ham Consortium(Prosciutto di Parma).

To properly store a ham and preserve its taste and quality, it is important to follow some general guidelines:

  1. Whole Bone-in Raw Ham:
  • Storage Environment: Whole bone-in ham should be stored in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place, with an ideal temperature between 15°C and 20°C. It does not need to be stored in a refrigerator, as long as the environment is moisture-free and not exposed to direct sunlight.
  • Cut part: Once started, it is advisable to cover the cut part with plastic wrap or wax paper to prevent oxidation and keep the meat soft. It can be stored in this way for several weeks.

2. Boneless Raw Ham:

  • Vacuum storage: If the ham is boneless and vacuum-packed, it can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature between 4°C and 8°C. Under these conditions, it can last up to six months.
  • After opening: Once vacuum-sealed, the ham should be consumed within a few days. It is important to wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container to preserve its flavor.

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 a Zuarina Prosciutto di Parma PDO unique?

Zuarina is a sartorial art. Only the finest pork legs, the right amount of salt, long aging, and the expertise of people who transform a product into a unique experience of sweetness and aroma.
Parma ham PDO processing

Ingredients

Zuarina works exclusively with heavy pork legs from pigs born and raised in the Po Valley. A large part of these are supplied directly by members of the CLAI supply chain. Expert operators examine each leg for shape, potential yield, or possible defects. Starting with high-quality raw material is essential to creating a premium 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.
Zuarina refrigerated cells, Zuarina Parma ham production stages

The long cold rest

After 4 weeks, the hams are placed in pre-resting rooms to dry them effectively yet gently, avoiding surface alterations. From the moment the ham enters the room until the end of the cold processing stage, about 120 days pass, well beyond what is required by the Parma PDO Consortium. The small amount of salt used requires longer times to diffuse, preserve, and stabilize the product. ‘We are the only ones in the sector to have this 4 week pre-resting phase, which we consider essential,’ says Marcello Barilli, Production Director.
Organoleptic analysis prosciutto crudo di parma dop zuarina

The Art of Mastery

Zuarina's artisan care transforms each ham into a masterpiece of taste and tradition. The "sugnatura," made strictly by hand, delicately wraps the uncovered part of the thigh, sealing the meat and preserving its softness, while moisture is expertly retained. During the long maturation phase, each leg undergoes an olfactory examination, using a horse bone needle, to capture the deepest secrets of its aroma. Zuarina's extensive experience allows it to produce a "custom" ham, developed to the customer's needs.
processing de-boned parma dop raw ham

A high-quality deboning

It is carried out by Zuarina's master salami makers, inside the Langhirano plant. To the "staples" usually used in the industry, at Zuarina only ropes are used, trimming the ham in an optimal way. In the "addobbo" format, moreover, the rind is not overlapped, an attention to the customer, who thus saves on the purchase.

Where and how Zuarina Prosciutto di Parma is crafted

Let’s discover it together with Chef Max Mariola

Find out how to order

With Paolo Cevoli

Lasciamo che siano i clienti a parlare per noi

from 624 reviews
Buonissimi

Buonissimi

Nunzia Q.
Salamini Italiani alla Cacciatora DOP

Excellent

Andrea
Salame senza conservanti "Imola 1962"
DELIZIOSO

l'ho acquistato sotto le feste assieme al prosciutto di Parma
Formaggio molto buono, consegna velocissima.
Lo ricomprero' sicuramente

Angela M.
Tuscan Canestrello Cheese Faggiola
CARLO 81

non avevo mai assaggiato un guanciale così buono, un profumo particolare che lo rende veramente unico. sono molto contento dell'acquisto. Per non parlare della salsiccia stagionata, iniziato ad assaggiarne una fettina par volta...in due giorni è finita. A Roma dicono "ma ché t'o dico a fa!"

carlo 8.
Guanciale Stagionato Intero
Excellent

Tutto ottimo

Anonymous
Fiocco di prosciutto Zuarina intero
quality

good quality product

PIER V.
Contadino Salami

Very good

Maurizio
Romagna Passita, Aged Sausage

Very good

Maurizio
Fiocco di prosciutto Zuarina intero
Excellent

Excellent

Anonymous
Slice of Cured Cheek
Texture and flavor

Excellent texture and flavor!

Grazia C.
Salame senza conservanti "Imola 1962"
Very good stuffed pig's trotter

Delicious zampone that respects tradition and is easy to digest.

Anonymous
Pre-cooked Modena IGP zampone in a box
The packaging is attractive, but the product is even better.

The packaging is beautiful, but the contents are even better!

Michele C.
Contadino Salami
I had purchased a 500-gram piece.

I bought a 500-gram piece. After tasting it, I regretted not buying the whole kilo of mortadella. Because it was gone in just a few days during the holiday appetizers. Tasty, fragrant, delicious when cut into cubes, it will soon be back in my shopping cart.

Filomena R.
CLAI mortadella, CLAI vacuum-packed
Appropriate name

A fitting name. Easy to peel and delicious to eat. They are always included in my online orders.

Daniele M.
Sbuccia e Mangia
Tasty

Tasty... maybe too tasty.

Daniele M.
Ciccioli Frolli

Frequently asked questions

On average, consumers can expect to receive their online orders within three days, or five days in the case of deliveries to islands or during problematic times of the year (e.g., the particularly busy Christmas period or in the event of strikes, natural disasters, etc.). During the week, average delivery times are even shorter: orders are usually prepared on the same day and handed over to the courier for shipment the following working day. Orders received at the weekend will be handed over to the courier for shipment on Monday.

Shipping for purchases made on the websiteclai is free for orders of €65 or more. For smaller orders, shipping costs vary depending on the region. More info

The minimum order amount for a purchase is €29.90.

No, at the moment we only deliver to Italy, the Republic of San Marino, and Vatican City.

The products are placed in special boxes and carefully packaged. We wrap all loose cured meats, whole loose cheeses, and glass products such as sauces, jars, wine bottles, and oil in paper. All of these box preparation operations are carried out by Clai staff. In the warmer months, we use refrigerated transport.

Yes, a user can make a purchase by entering only the information necessary to proceed with the order and shipping.

Yes, only if it has not already been shipped. Otherwise, if it has already been shipped, the order cannot be canceled. For any issues, requests, and/or needs, please use the emailclai to contact Clai headquarters.

You can pay with: credit card, PayPal, Amazon Pay, and Satispay.

In order to make a purchase in our shop, you must reach a minimum value of €45, which entitles you to free shipping.

For any issues, requests, and/or needs, please contact Clai headquarters by emailclai. We recommend that you have the following information ready: a copy of the order confirmation, details of the damage found, and some photos. If the claim is confirmed by Clai headquarters, the user will receive a refund corresponding to the value of the defective product.