Prosciutto Toscano

Prosciutto Toscano is a dry-cured ham produced entirely within Tuscany, salted using a dry process with salt, pepper, and natural aromatic herbs, and aged for a minimum period determined by final weight. It is registered as a PDO under file number PDO-IT-1494, with EU protection dating from 21 June 1996.

About this designation

Prosciutto Toscano is produced from fresh joints of heavy purebred pigs or those bred from the Large White or Landrace breeds, born, reared, and slaughtered in Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Marche, Umbria, Lazio, or Tuscany. Pigs must weigh not less than 160 kg (± 10 %) and must not be less than nine months old. After butchering, joints are refrigerated for at least 24 hours at between -2 and +2 °C. A fresh trimmed joint must not weigh less than 11.8 kg. Curing begins with dry salting, which must occur within 120 hours after butchering, using salt, pepper, and natural aromatic herbs. The exposed surface is subsequently smeared with a mix of lard, wheat or rice flour, salt, pepper, and natural aromatic herbs. Ageing takes place at between 12 and 25 °C. The minimum ageing period from salting to marketing is 10 months for hams with a final weight of 7.5–8.5 kg, and 12 months for hams weighing more than 8.5 kg; hams intended for slicing must be aged two months longer. The product may not be released to market more than 30 months after the start of curing. At the end of ageing, qualifying hams are branded with a logo bearing the words 'PROSCIUTTO TOSCANO DOP' in the presence of an official from the inspection body, INEQ — Istituto Nord Est Qualità. Slicing and packaging must take place within the region of Tuscany. The eAmbrosia identifier is EUGI00000013374.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-IT-1494; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013374.
• Dry salting must use salt, pepper, and natural aromatic herbs and must begin within 120 hours after butchering.
• Minimum ageing is 10 months for hams of 7.5–8.5 kg and 12 months for hams above 8.5 kg; hams for slicing require two additional months.
• Each qualifying ham is branded 'PROSCIUTTO TOSCANO DOP' at the end of ageing in the presence of an official from the inspection body.

Tasting notes

Tuscan dry-cured ham distinguished by aromatic herb-and-pepper rub during seasoning. Saltier and bolder than Parma, robust pork flavor with pronounced rosemary, juniper, and pepper notes.

HoReCa use

Sliced for Tuscan antipasto with crostini and salt-free Tuscan bread; paired with pecorino toscano; layered in panini; component in Tuscan tagliere.

Packaging

• whole-leg-bone-in-9-12kg
• whole-leg-boneless-vacuum-7-9kg
• half-leg-vacuum-4kg
• deli-sliced-vacuum-100g