With the hot summer (almost) behind us, it is time to process the harvest. Autumn is the perfect time to celebrate the efforts of a year and prepare for a freezing cold and cozy winter.
Autumn
What characterizes autumn? Soup instead of salad, picking apples for cider and acorns for the pigs. The latter is what interests us: preparing your own dried meats so that you can serve something delicious, authentic, and homemade during the cold evenings. Dry ham, pancetta, guanciale, lardo, coppa, and more delicious southern European dried meats…you just make that yourself!
Prosciutto di Parma
Prosciutto di Parma, also known as Parma ham, is a type of dry-cured ham that comes from the Parma region of Italy. It is made from the hind legs of specially bred pigs and is known for its delicate flavor and tender texture. The word prosciutto, which translates to “ham” in Italian, is made only from the hind legs of pigs and is aged during a dry-curing process. The quality of prosciutto is based on the curing process, region, and strict quality controls during production. Curing prosciutto originated in Italy thousands of years ago and the ham is produced only using specially bred pigs, sea salt, air, and time.
In Italy, Parma ham is often served as an antipasto or appetizer, sliced thinly and paired with melon, figs, or other fruits. It can also be used as an ingredient in pasta dishes or other recipes.
Outside of Italy, Parma ham is a popular ingredient in many cuisines and can be found on charcuterie boards, sandwiches, and pizza toppings. It is highly valued for its flavor and quality, and the production of Parma ham is regulated by a consortium to ensure that it meets certain standards and is produced in a specific region using traditional methods.
By law Prosciutto di Parma is cured for at least 400 days (starting from the date of first salting), and some may be cured for as long as 3 years. After that time has passed, an independent inspector pierces the ham (1 cm) in several locations (see below) with the ‘Osso ago di cavallo’, a horse bone needle, smelling it after each puncture to check for scents that may indicate any flaws or spoilage.
A horse bone needle is used to test prosciutto and other charcuterie because it absorbs and releases scents quickly, which helps in telling if there’s any spoilage, but you can use it again immediately. The bone only requires a quick wipe on the apron in-between uses.
How do you use a horse bone needle for charcuterie?
During the olfactory Puntatura test on prosciutto, the inspector pricks the meat with the horse bone needle to examine the scent and the dryness. The scent intensity of the lean part and the sweetness of the fatty part are tested. Prosciutto must have a slight scent of dried fruit, hazelnut, wood, and a slight smell of salt. The fatty part should have a sweeter smell. The prosciutto should also carry subtle hints of the area where it was seasoned. You shouldn’t smell any sour or bitter notes from the meat and unpleasant, pungent smells such as raw or rancid meat, or boar taint, are an indication of faulty processing, maturing, or poor meat quality.
See the video below to see how it’s done.
This horse bone needle is now also available for the home charcuterie maker.
Your own “Osso ago di cavallo”!
“There are no secret formulas here”
– Paolo Tanara, chairman of the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma
In conclusion
The horse bone needle is used to sample a ham, which is then smelled to check for any off odors or signs of spoilage. This is done as part of the quality control process to ensure that the ham is safe and of high quality before it is sold to consumers.
Want to know more?
If you want to know more about the horse bone needle, or just order it, please click the links below for the product on startercultures.eu
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