The gold standard of Slovenian cured meats - Kraški pršut, also known as Karst prosciutto or simply Karst ham, is a non-smoked, dry-cured ham with more than a hundred years old tradition. Its truly authentic flavor is the result of favorable climate conditions in the Karst region, which have a direct influence on the dynamic of drying and aging.
Regardless of today's technological innovations, the manufacturers of this prized ham have retained the traditional methods of production. Rich in vitamins and minerals, this extremely nutritional dry-cured ham also has an even higher protein content than the one found in cooked meat. The meat is salted twice, using only coarse salt from the Slovenian coastal region, and then left to age at a temperature of approximately 12-16°C.
This natural dry-curing process doesn’t include any kind of heat or smoking treatment, just the traditional Slovenian know-how. Salted and exposed to air from the very beginning, the prosciutto gradually starts to dry, and after a while, the salt is washed off.
To remove the last of the natural juices, the prosciutto is pressed into its distinctive flattened guitar-like shape and prepared for maturing, which takes about 12-16 months, depending on the size of the ham. Like most other hams of the prosciutto variety, Kraški pršut is best enjoyed sliced into thin, almost see-through strips, and traditionally served as a cold appetizer accompanied with homemade bread, cheese, olives or sometimes sweet melons.
