Prosciutto di Norcia
Also known as: Norcia ham, Norcia prosciutto, Prosciutto di Norcia IGP
Prosciutto di Norcia is an Italian PGI ham from the Umbrian mountains: a pear-shaped heavy-pig hind leg salted twice with sea salt and aged at least 12 months above 500 m.
Prosciutto di Norcia (Norcia ham) is an Italian dry-cured ham from the mountains of the Valnerina in Umbria, above 500 m. The hind leg of a heavy pig is shaped like a pear, salted with sea salt in two stages and aged for at least 12 months. Its aroma is slightly spiced, its taste savoury but not salty.
The processing area fits into five mountain communes: Norcia, Preci, Cascia, Monteleone di Spoleto and Poggiodomo, in the province of Perugia. The specification states plainly that the mountain climate governs the whole cycle.
Pigs are selected in batches averaging 160 kg live weight ±10 %, that is 144–176 kg. The breeds are Italian Large White and Landrace and the offspring of Duroc boars; pure Belgian Landrace, Hampshire, Pietrain and Duroc are excluded. The feed is cereal-based, and whey is allowed.
First the leg is chilled for at least a day to +1…+4 °C and trimmed so the meat reaches no more than 6 cm beyond the head of the bone. Then blood is pressed out of the vessels. The first salting with medium-grain sea salt lasts 4–7 days, the second 9–18 days. Next come at least 2.5 months of rest, washing, drying and «stuccatura», a lard paste that may contain pepper, wheat or rice flour and natural aromas. At least 12 months pass from salting to sale. PGI status came with Regulation (EC) 1065/97 of 12 June 1997.
The cut is compact, pink to red.
The status alone sets Norcia apart from Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele: it is a PGI, not a PDO. Add the pear shape, mountain drying and spiced aroma. It shares the pear shape with Prosciutto di Modena, but Modena ages 14 months or more in hills up to 900 m, Norcia 12 months or more above 500 m.
On the ham, look for the fire brand with the «Prosciutto di Norcia» logo; on the label, the name with «Indicazione geografica protetta» or «IGP». A whole ham weighs at least 8.5 kg.
Why this matters to you: if you like a prosciutto crudo with a hint of spice, look for the Norcia logo and the IGP wording, which guarantee the ham was salted and aged in those five communes.
Facts
| Animal | Heavy pig, batches averaging 160 kg ±10 % (Large White, Landrace, Duroc offspring) |
|---|---|
| Cut | Pear-shaped hind leg |
| Curing | Sea salt in 2 stages (4–7 + 9–18 days), rest 2.5+ months, «stuccatura», ageing |
| Minimum maturation | 12 months from salting to sale |
| Region | 5 Valnerina communes (Perugia, Umbria) above 500 m |
| Registered | PGI, Reg. (EC) 1065/97 of 12.06.1997 |
How it connects to Cured meats & charcuterie
Prosciutto di Norcia → then → Curing of meat → kind of → 🥓 Cured meats & charcuterie
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Frequently asked questions
What is Prosciutto di Norcia?
An Italian PGI ham from the Valnerina mountains in Umbria: a pear-shaped heavy-pig hind leg salted twice with sea salt and aged at least 12 months.
Where is Norcia ham made?
In five communes of the province of Perugia above 500 m: Norcia, Preci, Cascia, Monteleone di Spoleto and Poggiodomo.
How long is Norcia prosciutto aged?
First salting 4–7 days, second 9–18 days, rest of 2.5 months or more; at least 12 months from salting to sale.
How does Prosciutto di Norcia differ from Parma ham?
It is a PGI rather than a PDO; the ham is pear-shaped, dried in mountains above 500 m and has a slightly spiced aroma.
Is it true that Prosciutto di Norcia is made from pigs raised around Norcia?
Not necessarily. The specification's area covers only the processing — salting and ageing — in five mountain communes; the pigs are defined by breed and weight rules.
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 Modena · 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.