How to Slice Prosciutto with a Knife?

The art of slicing prosciutto cannot be improvised, and the fact that you prefer a good old-fashioned knife or a slicing machine does not matter.

The prosciutto is sliced with the grain, meaning across the width of the slice. 

The knife should be held at a 45-degree angle and cut slowly and steadily down the center of the meat. 

If the prosciutto is thin enough, you may even be able to use a plastic steak knife or a sharp utility knife.

Do you know how to get the perfect slice? Whether you are a fan of manual skills or the use of a machine, there are different paths you can follow.

Art of Slicing the Prosciutto

It is a good idea to begin the cut near the top of the prosciutto. The cuts have to follow the lines indicated by the arrows to always leave a flat surface.

The leg is turned along the femoral bone as you get close to the bone. Proceed to slice in the same direction and then work towards the bone.

A short knife can easily be used to remove the area near the hip. It is important to remove the skin near the point of the cut before using a machine or knife.

Prosciutto di Parma is enjoyed in its ancient tradition because of the difficult art of hand slicing.

The tradition of hand slicing allows you to appreciate the centuries of tradition behind Prosciutto di Parma, and it provides a different eating experience than paper-thin slices from a machine.

The slices cut from the knife follow the natural disposition of fibers, their irregularity adds to the sensations of the palate.

A good slicing knife has a sharp, long blade that is wide and thick so that it can adapt to the variations of the form of the prosciutto.

Slicing by hand

It’s a good idea to be patient, first of all. The second thing you should do is up to you.

A ham holder, a cutting board, a short-bladed knife, a fork, and a knife with a long and sharp blade are all included in the list.

At this point, you don’t need much more than a little slicing expertise. A perfect slice is assured if you have all of the above.

The rind from a whole ham should be removed first, followed by the small hip and the putty on the surface.

The operation can be carried out using a scalping knife.

If you remove the part of the rind that is necessary for the cut, you will be able to preserve the product much better.

Take the ham and secure it on its holder, with the part you have cleaned from the rind facing upwards.

One hand holding the knife with the thin blade to cut the slices and the other holding the fork is all you need to start cutting the slices.

It is very simple to cut the slices: just slice with a light sawing motion involving all the knife length, without applying excessive pressure.

Can you tell me about the thickness? It’s up to you to decide, according to your taste.

You can continue slicing this way until you get to the bone, but remember to remove the rind and the putty from time to time.

After you get there, take the ham out of the holder and then slice it on the new side. You have it once you become familiar with that movement.

Cutting with a slicing machine

Things don’t get much more difficult here. You don’t need to be concerned about your slicing skills.

Remove the rind and the putty from the ham and place it on the slicing machine.

If you want a transparent slice, place the ham with the fat facing upwards and slice it thinly, removing some rind as you slice it.

You can slice the ham much more thinly if you keep it in the fridge until cutting time. Food waste is one of the things we would always like to emphasize.

Everyone is sure to have a voice when they cut prosciutto, for example, not to discard the beautiful fat on the slice, or to use the rind to give flavor to soups.

Did you know that the sweetest slices of the prosciutto are cut near the trotter? Another way to avoid food waste is by cutting it correctly. Enjoy slicing at this moment!