My Prosciutto Is Too Salty. What to Do?

In general, salt enhances the flavor of foods, especially savory ones. 

But too much salt can spoil a meal, which means that people should carefully control the amount they put on their food.

Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham similar to Serrano ham. It should have a high salt content as it is usually salted before drying. 

If your prosciutto is too salty, try cutting it into smaller slices or serving it on toasted baguettes with olives or mushrooms.

Finding out that the prosciutto is too salty is frustrating, but there’s no need to just give up on it. Some ways will help you to get rid of this problem. 

One way to remove the saltiness of your prosciutto is to simmer it for about five minutes in water and then put it in with plant oil for some minutes.

If you don’t want to cook the prosciutto you can place it in distilled water for some hours and wipe it with a clean cloth to remove the saltiness. 

You can also remove the saltiness flavor of your prosciutto by pairing it with an acid or sweet agent which neutralizes the taste. But it does not remove the overall salt taste. 

Here in this article, I will share with you the best methods to fix your prosciutto too salty. Also, I will suggest ways to avoid over-salting in the future. Let’s check it out.

Methods to fix salty prosciutto

Here are the methods you can use to fix the saltiness of your prosciutto.

Simmer the Prosciutto in Water

This is one of the most effective ways to neutralize overly salty prosciutto, which also works for other meat types (except for hamburgers and meatballs).

First, take the meat into the pan and pour some water. The meat should be fully submerged in the water. Now simmer it for five minutes and strain the water.

Now put some plant oil in the pan and cook it for two to three minutes. This method will decrease the intensity of the salt. It also makes the meat crispy.

Soak the Prosciutto in Distilled Water

This method is perfect if you don’t want to cook your meat further. 

First, rinse the meat in cold water. Now place the meat in the container filled with distilled water. Let it be there for three to four hours.

Once done, taste the meat to identify whether the salty flavor is still there or not.

If you notice a salty flavor still on the meat, soak it overnight in the distilled water. But make sure to dry it after soaking it for the whole night.

After soaking the meat for the whole night, take it out of the pot and pat it dry with paper towels. Let it rest for some time. When you think that the meat is dry enough put it in the fridge.

You need to remember not to put the meat inside the fridge once it is removed from the distilled water container.

You need to rest it for some time as there will be a high amount of water inside the meat. 

Pair the Prosciutto with Other Foods

The easiest way to fix too salty prosciutto is to just add more acid, sweetness, or fat to the mix. You can pair it with anything that will help round out the flavors.

While it may sound strange, prosciutto has been combined with many different foods. The use of prosciutto is not limited to the typical Italian recipes.

Some of the best additions to prosciutto are vinegar and chimichurri. Chorizo, butter, creamy sauces, and other fatty foods also help to fight the saltiness of the prosciutto.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy a nice big plate of prosciutto is to pair it with cheese. To make it shine, you can try neutralizing sides, such as pasta or potatoes.

How to Prevent Overly Salty Prosciutto While Cooking in the Future?

Here are some ways to prevent overly salty prosciutto when you are cooking next time.

Buy the Right Type of Prosciutto

The best way to prevent salt in your meat is to find meats at your local butcher that have already been prepared and salted.

This can be as easy as just asking your butcher or reading the labels of packaged meats.

One common reason for this is that manufacturers inject saltwater into the meat. Saltwater has high concentrations of sodium chloride which help the meat retain water.

This is necessary as some meat is thawed out before it’s placed on store shelves. This gives the impression of being fresh.

Beware of Other Seasonings

When preparing Prosciutto di Parma for cooking, consider the other salty seasonings you’re using. Too much salt in the recipe might result in too salty Prosciutto, no matter how much you added.

That’s especially relevant if you use premade spice mixes that almost always contain salt. Don’t measure salt directly above the meat.

When you’re pouring and splashing a lot of sauce, you can easily splash a little bit onto your meat. If that happens, you might not notice until you take a bite.

If you use a salt shaker, make sure it’s properly closed. You don’t want to add more salt to your food unnecessarily.

The best thing to do while sprinkling the salt is to use your fingers as you can notice how much salt you are using.

Also, it is better to sprinkle the salt from a distance as it will help you to distribute the salt evenly.

Start with Less Salt

Add just enough salt to make it taste great. If you under-season, the prosciutto will lose some of its flavors in the heat. Too much salt can cause your dish to taste unpleasantly salty.

It’s always best to start with small sample size and increase until you get to a point where you’re happy with your results.

Salt is an important part of any recipe but we should know our limits and not exceed them.

Table salt is measured in “grams” (g), whereas kosher salt is measured in “ounces” (oz).

Adding the same number of oz of kosher salt as you would use grams of regular table salt will lead to less salty results.

Many people think that low sodium salt is a healthier alternative to regular table salt. They’re both the same and that’s a fact.

Low-sodium salt is a cheaper substitute for regular salt and tastes just like regular salt.

The only difference is that the salt has been replaced with potassium chloride. This makes it harder to taste and, in some cases, more expensive.

Conclusion

With a little care, you can avoid over-salting prosciutto. And you’ll be better off as well! These fixes work, but no one solution will do it all for you.

You can prepare prosciutto the night before, and it will stay fresh until you’re ready to use it. You just need to be careful that you don’t go overboard with the salt.

When prosciutto tastes too salty, it can also sometimes taste like blood. The reason for this is that it’s a cured ham.