Prosciutto right out of the package?

The LandoStander · November 2009

I snagged some Boar's Head Prosciutto di Parma today and I'm finding mixed messages on whether or not the stuff needs to be baked or otherwise cooked before I eat it. As far as I can understand the meat isn't actually cooked it's just cured for a rather long period of time, something that leads me to believe that I need to be baking this stuff before I pack it in a sandwich for lunch. There are recipes that say I should cook it but I'm not sure if that's because it's part of the larger recipe or because it's uncooked pork.

mully · November 2009

I ate it out of the bag once and I found it overly chewy and stringy and unpleasant. I would imagine that cooking it would likely help this.

I was told by someone to wrap it around canteloupe raw and eat that, and I did, and ew -- so I am letting you know; don't trust someone if they tell you to do that.

99% sure you don't need to cook it, though.

Szechuanosaurus · November 2009

No, you don't need to cook it. Curing meat makes it safe to eat. It's like smoked salmon. See the stickied thread at the top of H/A.

You certainly can cook it though. It would taste delicious on a pizza, for example.

RUNN1NGMAN · November 2009

You don't have to cook it, it's been cured.

MarcoND7 · November 2009

The LandoStander wrote: »

I snagged some Boar's Head Prosciutto di Parma today and I'm finding mixed messages on whether or not the stuff needs to be baked or otherwise cooked before I eat it. As far as I can understand the meat isn't actually cooked it's just cured for a rather long period of time, something that leads me to believe that I need to be baking this stuff before I pack it in a sandwich for lunch. There are recipes that say I should cook it but I'm not sure if that's because it's part of the larger recipe or because it's uncooked pork.

As a guy raised in an Italian family... *SMACK*

Cook the prosciutto? No, never, the flavour would change. Prosciutto is meant to be eaten raw, seeing as it is a cured meat. It is quite delicious on a bun with tomato and some stronger cheese.

Szechuanosaurus · November 2009

Italian's cook prosciutto.

I've seen them do it.

In their own country even.

MarcoND7 · November 2009

Szechuanosaurus wrote: »

Italian's cook prosciutto.

I've seen them do it.

In their own country even.

I am suspicious. As someone said higher up, it could go well on a pizza, but I have never seen cooked prosciutto. Ever.

bwanie · November 2009

mully wrote: »

I ate it out of the bag once and I found it overly chewy and stringy and unpleasant. I would imagine that cooking it would likely help this.

I was told by someone to wrap it around canteloupe raw and eat that, and I did, and ew -- so I am letting you know; don't trust someone if they tell you to do that.

99% sure you don't need to cook it, though.

mully, you probably got it sliced too thick.

melon and italian ham is a staple entrée and almost everybody likes it.

bwanie · November 2009

also you don't cook it, but you can grill it. maybe 3/5 minutes each side.

goes great with white fish and tomato/basil/onion sauce.

Szechuanosaurus · November 2009

Stuffed chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham is an extremely obvious and well known example of cooking with Parma ham but there are plenty of other recipes to choose from.

And since when was grilling not a form of cooking?

This is ridicuolous.

Parma ham can be and is eaten cooked or uncooked.

bwanie · November 2009

oh im sorry, in dutch cooking means boiling.

Szechuanosaurus · November 2009

oh ok

bwanie · November 2009

although i could imagine small cubes of boiled parma tasting pretty ok in some creamy soup.

VeritasVR · November 2009

I don't do anything to it other than trim some of the "stuff" around the edges. It's just like salami or pepperoni.

VisionOfClarity · November 2009

I grill bits of Prosciutto when I use it in my stuffed mushrooms. It's really good. However, not all Prosciutto is made equal so you can get Prosciutto once and love it and get a different kind later and hate it. And this is said as someone who's grandparents came off the boat from Sicily.

EggyToast · November 2009

My wife doesn't like the smell of "raw" prosciutto, so even though it's safe you might prefer it cooked. She likes it on pizzas.

adytum · November 2009

+1 for eating it as-is. Whenever I buy it I usually just end up eating it all slice by slice instead of actually putting it on anything.

Om nom nom nom nom.

bsjezz · November 2009

have it as-is with fresh bread and olive oil and balsamic for dipping

or wrap it around some fresh, uncooked prawns and fry them up quickly with some chilli and lemon juice oh god

LewieP's Mummy · November 2009

Trim off the fat, wrap it round a lamb neck fillet that you've already wrapped in fresh spinach leaves, secure with wooden cocktail sticks and cook it in the oven in high for 30 minutes, slice thickly and eat with new potatoes and your favourite veggies. Mmmmm

Arikado · November 2009

From my experience, sliced prosciutto tends to shrink like bacon drastically when cooked.

VanityPants · November 2009

Like others have said, you can eat it the way you get it or you can cook it. It's great in pastas and things like that, and as Arikado suggested you can pretty much cook it and use it the same way you'd use bacon.

The best sandwich you will ever have is: a hoagie roll split open, mozzarella sliced, prosciutto (pull off the fatty pieces and don't put too much on or it'll get chewy), chopped fire roasted peppers and olives. Make this, eat it, die happy.

I want one now.

Penny Arcade

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