How is it made?

After slaughter the legs are refrigerated for at least 24 hours at a temperature between -2 and +2°C.
Then, the porks legs must be trimmed according to very precise instructions, removing the pigskin, uncovering the lean part of the leg.
Then the ham-maker places a metal seal on leg bearing the initials (P.T.), date of processing and year.
The processing begin with the salting.

SALTING

It takes place within 120 hours of slaughter and at the leg internal temperature between 0 and 3° C.
Salting is carried out using the "dry" method with salt, pepper, bay leaf, rosemary, juniper berries, myrtle, garlic and other typical aromas of the territory of origin and massaged by ham-maker.
After a first period - about 3-4 weeks - the legs rest for a period of 3 months in vertical position (pre-maturing).

SMEARING

After that period, in the processing follows smearing : the legs are protecting with smear, that is a paste of pure ground fat pork enriched with rice flour, salt and pepper, totally natural. This cover protect it from dehydration and maintains the delicacy of the meat, allowing a correct maturing.

CURING

It take places in rooms with controlled temperatures and humidity, where hams slowly maturing and developing all the flavour and aromas of Prosciutto Toscano PDO.