Prosciutto Too Salty: How to Reduce the Saltness?

“Salt is what makes things taste bad when it isn’t in them.” However, too much salt can make matters worse.

Salt – a white four-letter word – adds flavor to make food more delicious, flavorful, and delectable. In addition, it prevents food from going bad.

However, too much salt often makes food almost inedible. Some foods are naturally too salty, making the meal unpalatable and icky because of their salty taste – such as prosciutto.

Prosciutto is an Italian unsmoked, uncooked, dry-cured ham that contains too much salt. Some find it appealing; some unflattering. Therefore, sometimes, you need to process this ham further to reduce the saltness.

However, how to reduce salt when your find prosciutto too salty? Don’t worry – following some simple steps, you can fix your salty prosciutto.

You can simmer it in water, eat it with other food items, or soak it in distilled water to reduce saltness and bring the delicacy.

Why Is My Prosciutto So Salty?

If you love prosciutto, you may be disappointed with the saltiness of your latest purchase.

Prosciutto is a type of ham made from pork leg by curing it in salt. This process gives the prosciutto a salty flavor and a firm texture.

Several reasons are there behind prosciutto’s saltiness. Primarily, it’s the curing process that makes the meat highly salty. Additionally, the salt used to cure the meat can make it salty. And finally, the salt used to season the prosciutto may also be salty.

Further, during the processing time, salt draws out moisture and blood to prevent bacteria from entering the meat. That’s the main reason you can eat prosciutto raw.

The average prosciutto parma ham contains 5.3% salt. However, you can reduce the amount to 3% or even 2.5% using some methods. You can also look for brands that have less sault.

Does Prosciutto Have A Lot Of Salt In It?

There is much debate about whether prosciutto has a lot of salt in it. Some people say that it does, while others say there isn’t a lot. The saltness depends on a person’s taste. However, most agree that prosciutto has a lot of flavors and that it’s delicious.

The salty flavor comes from a curing mixture of salt, sugar, and sodium nitrite. Two prosciutto slices contain around 600 milligrams of sodium, which is a lot of salt for many. But daily sodium intake is not more than 2300 milligram for adults. Hence, ideally, the salt level in prosciutto is tolerable.

Nevertheless, some people believe that the high salt content in prosciutto is responsible for its delicious flavor. Others feel that the high salt levels detract from the ham’s flavor.

Prosciutto Too Salty: How To Reduce the Saltness?

Making prosciutto less salty can be tricky, but with a bit of research and some tricks, you can make sure that your prosciutto is perfect every time.

Here are three methods for making your prosciutto less salty.

1. Simmer the Prosciutto in Water

If you are a fan of prosciutto but hate how it can be quite salty, simmering it in water might just be the solution. This method results in much lower-salty prosciutto and is a great way to enjoy this Italian specialty without having to sacrifice flavor.

Moreover, simmering also allows the prosciutto to soak up some of the flavors of the other ingredients, so it becomes more flavorful.

To fix the salt issue, take a pan filled with water and place the meat in it. Make sure the ham is submerged fully. Then lit the stove and simmered it for five minutes. During the simmering process, keep an eye on it to ensure the meat doesn’t float. After 5 minutes, you can strain the water.

After that, take plant oil, pour it into the pan, and cook for a few more minutes. Although this is an option, it will significantly reduce the salt and make the prosciutto crispy.

2. Soak the Prosciutto in Distilled Water

Distilled water has a lower salt content than regular water, so it will dilute the salt in the prosciutto. This means that the meat will be less salty and more enjoyable to eat. This method is also suitable for preserving other meats, such as bacon.

Before starting the process, you will need to rinse the prosciutto using cold water. After that, place the meat into a container filled with distilled water.

Keep it like that for a few hours and taste the meat. If you still feel the saltness, repeat the method. To neutralize the salt, you may leave the meat in distilled water for hours or even overnight. However, you will require to dry the prosciutto thoroughly.

After you are done with the distillation process, dry the meat with a paper towel. Also, keep the meat at room temperature. You may need to dry it out with more paper towels if you see moisture.

If you feel that the ham is totally dried, keep it in the fridge. But, make sure you soak all the water as any water inside the prosciutto may change the meat’s texture.

3. Consume The Prosciutto With Other Foods

If you are looking to cut down on the saltiness of the prosciutto, it’s a good idea to pair it with other foods. You can eat salty meat with sweet, acidic, or fat-type foods for the best result. 

However, combining it with the sweet fruit might be odd for some people. But you can try it with berry sauce, melon, or even honey.

Further, you can mix the prosciutto into smoothies or yogurt for added flavor.

If you like citrus flavor, sprinkling a lemon will also be a good idea. Besides, fatty foods such as avocado, butter, or creamy sauce can also be a game-changer.

While eating with other foods, you can make the prosciutto slices very thin to reduce the salt intensity.

How To Prevent Prosciutto From Being Salty?

Too much salt in prosciutto can make it taste overwhelmingly salty and unpleasant. To prevent this, follow these tips:

1. Check The Salt Level Before Buying

When buying prosciutto, it’s essential to make sure the salt level is correct. Too much salt can ruin the flavor of the prosciutto, while too little can make it tough. Therefore, check the label to make sure there is enough salt.

Usually, the ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook food contains more saults as they are needed to preserve the meat. But the salt level or percentage varies from brand to brand or meat type. The Prosciutto di Parma has less sodium than other deli meats.

You can try Italian Prosciutto di Parma Red Label D.O.P. Boneless Whole Leg as it contains the right amount of salt.

2. Beware Of Other Seasonings

Adding other spices or seasonings to your Prosciutto may make it taste better, but it could also be dangerous as they may contain salt. Despite adding the right amount of salt, your prosciutto may become salty due to invisible salt in other spices.

Hence, you may take some precautions while adding extra seasonings. It is better to avoid putting salt or spices directly on the meat. Instead, sprinkle everything from a distance to distribute evenly on the meat.

3. Put Less Salt At The Beginning

If you like to make prosciutto less salty, start with less salt. This will help to counteract the saltiness of the pork itself. You can then add more salt if desired.

You may also try different alternatives. For example, you can try salt detox to reduce saltiness.

How Do You Fix Meat That Is Too Salty?

Meat can be salty because of the way it is processed or because of the salt used in the recipe. However, there are a few ways to fix meat that is too salty.

One way is to add more herbs or spices to the meat. Another way is to soak the meat in water before cooking it. Finally, you can also try adding unsalted broth or stock to the recipe.

What Can I Do If My Sauce Is Too Salty?

If your sauce is too salty, you can do a few things to improve it.

• First, try adding more evaporated or distilled water to the recipe to dilute the salt.
• Second, add other seasonings such as herbs or garlic to help offset the saltiness.
• Finally, consider using low-sodium soup or juices to reduce the amount of salt in your sauce.

Final Words

Are you still worried about prosciutto too salty for your taste? Try the method mentioned above to minimize the extra saltiness from your food to add savory delight.

Try any methods today to make your prosciutto perfectly salty and delicious. However, whichever method you choose, make sure to dry the prosciutto off before eating it.