Prosciutto di Modena
Also known as: Modena ham, Modena prosciutto, Prosciutto di Modena DOP
Prosciutto di Modena is an Italian PDO ham from the hills along the Panaro river: a pear-shaped, footless heavy-pig hind leg salted with sea salt and aged at least 14 months.
Prosciutto di Modena (Modena ham) is an Italian dry-cured ham from the hills around the Panaro river near Modena, in Emilia-Romagna. It is made from the hind leg of heavy Italian pigs, shaped like a pear without the trotter, salted with sea salt and aged for at least 14 months. Cut open, it is bright red, savoury but not salty.
The pigs are raised and slaughtered in 10 Italian regions. The breeds are Large White and Landrace, pure or hybrid, plus Duroc; slaughter is not before month 9, and boars and sows are excluded.
Salting happens in two stages. The «first salt» lasts 5–7 days at 0–4 °C; then the leg is shaken, massaged and salted again, for 12–15 days in the 1996 text. Next comes at least 60 days of rest at 2–5 °C, ageing in rooms with natural or controlled air, and «sugnatura» — lard with salt, spices and rice flour. At least 14 months pass from the start of salting, or 12 months for uniform batches under 13 kg at the start. That rule dates from 2010; before, it was 12 and 10 months.
The ham is made only in the hills of the Panaro basin, no higher than 900 m above sea level. The 1996 application says pork was salted here as early as the Bronze Age and the method was refined in Roman times. PDO status came with Regulation (EC) 1107/96 of 12 June 1996.
The aroma is pleasant, mild yet penetrating, and it is still checked the old way: with a needle pushed into the ham and then sniffed.
Modena shares the 14-month minimum with Prosciutto di Parma, but the Parma ham is round and carries a ducal crown, while Modena's is pear-shaped. Prosciutto di San Daniele, by contrast, keeps its trotter and ages from 400 days, and Prosciutto Toscano is rubbed with pepper and herbs.
The rind must bear a fire brand, and the label must read «Prosciutto di Modena» followed straight away by «Denominazione di Origine Protetta». A whole ham weighs 8–10 kg and never less than 7 kg.
Why this matters to you: the footless pear shape and the words «Denominazione di Origine Protetta» set this prosciutto crudo apart from an anonymous «Italian ham», and 14 months is the same minimum Parma has to meet.
Facts
| Animal | Heavy pig aged 9+ months (Large White, Landrace, Duroc) from 10 Italian regions |
|---|---|
| Cut | Pear-shaped hind leg without trotter |
| Curing | Dry salting with sea salt in 2 stages, rest 60+ days at 2–5 °C, «sugnatura», ageing |
| Minimum maturation | 14 months from the start of salting (12 for batches under 13 kg) |
| Region | Panaro basin hills near Modena up to 900 m (Emilia-Romagna) |
| Registered | PDO, Reg. (EC) 1107/96 of 12.06.1996; amended by Reg. (EU) 1167/2010 |
| Salt per 100 g | 4.5–6.7 g NaCl (2010 single document) |
| Moisture | 59–63.5 % |
How it connects to Cured meats & charcuterie
Prosciutto di Modena → then → Curing of meat → kind of → 🥓 Cured meats & charcuterie
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- 🧑🤝🧑 Italians
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- Similar and different
- Prosciutto di Parma
Frequently asked questions
What is Prosciutto di Modena?
An Italian PDO ham from the hills along the Panaro river: a pear-shaped, footless heavy-pig hind leg salted with sea salt and aged at least 14 months.
How long is Modena ham aged?
At least 14 months from the start of salting; 12 months for uniform batches under 13 kg at the start (a 2010 rule).
What is the difference between Modena and Parma ham?
Both need at least 14 months, but Modena ham is pear-shaped, while Parma is round and carries a ducal crown. Modena's area is only the Panaro hills up to 900 m.
How is the aroma of Modena prosciutto checked?
With a needle pushed into the ham and then smelled. The aroma should be mild yet penetrating.
Is it true that all Italian raw hams age for the same time?
No. Per their specifications, Modena ages 14+ months, San Daniele 400+ days, Toscano 10–12+ months and Norcia 12+ months.
What to read next
- 🐖 Pig — A domestic animal that feeds piglets with milk but does not provide it to humans.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Italians — The people of Italy; their cuisine rests on wine, olive oil and cheese, and in 2025 the country made 44.4 million hectolitres of wine, the most in the world.
- Curing of meat — Curing of meat is treatment with salt, often with nitrite, applied dry, as brine or by injection: salt binds water and, together with drying, makes meat suitable for long keeping.
Similar
Prosciutto di San Daniele · Prosciutto Toscano · Prosciutto di Norcia · Prosciutto di Parma · Pancetta Piacentina · Lardo di Colonnata
ℹ️ IARC (WHO) classes processed meat in Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans): each 50 g eaten daily raises colorectal cancer risk by about 18 %. Eat it in moderation.