Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP: the Sweet Raw Ham of Italy, Boneless for Professionals
Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP boneless, washed and vacuum-packed, approx. 7.5 kg: a raw ham matured for over 400 days, produced exclusively in San Daniele del Friuli (Udine) from only two ingredients, Italian pork leg and sea salt, with no preservatives or additives. The pressed boneless format, known in the trade as addobbo, fits directly into the slicing machine with no deboning waste: the ideal cut for restaurants, delicatessens and hotels.
What Makes San Daniele DOP Unique
San Daniele is one of the great names of Italian charcuterie. The European Union granted it Protected Designation of Origin status in 1996: every stage of production, from salting to maturation, must take place in San Daniele del Friuli, in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The hill of San Daniele rises in the valley of the Tagliamento river, where the cool air descending from the Alps meets the breeze rising from the Adriatic Sea: this constant exchange of air is the natural engine of the slow maturation.
Two Ingredients, More Than 400 Days
The DOP production rules allow only two ingredients: legs of pigs born and raised in Italy, and sea salt. No nitrites, no preservatives, no additives of any kind. The minimum maturation is 400 days, during which the legs are dry-salted, pressed and left to the Friulian air. The result is a naturally preserved product that professional kitchens can declare with a clean label.
The Boneless Addobbo Format
This San Daniele is deboned, pressed and tied in the traditional addobbo dressing, washed on the surface and vacuum-packed at approx. 7.5 kg, variable weight. Compared with the bone-in ham it offers a higher yield, faster service and even slices from the first cut to the last. Selection and deboning are handled by Prosciuttificio Montevecchio, a family company founded in 2002 in the Samoggia valley (Bologna), specialised in the dressing of fine Italian cured hams.
Sensory Profile
The slice is pink-red with a pure white fat rim; the aroma is delicate, with notes of crusty bread and dried fruit; the taste is sweet, with a gentle, balanced sapidity and a texture that melts on the palate. Sweetness, not saltiness, is the signature that sets San Daniele apart among Italian raw hams.
Professional Uses
- Charcuterie board: 60-80 g per portion, sliced to order and served at 16-18 degrees with burrata, figs or Parmigiano Reggiano DOP shavings
- Pizza: always added after baking, on the hot pizza at the pass; the oven burns its sweetness
- Classic starter: with cantaloupe melon in summer, or wrapped around grissini for the aperitivo
- Gourmet sandwiches and piadina: thin slices at room temperature, never straight from the fridge
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Slicing too thick: San Daniele expresses itself in slices under one millimetre, cut at the moment of service
- Cooking it: heat destroys 400 days of slow maturation; always add it after cooking
- Serving it fridge-cold: the fat needs to warm up to release the aroma; take it out 15-20 minutes before service
Storage
Store at 0-4 degrees. After opening the vacuum pack, cover the cut surface with food film, keep refrigerated and slice only what you serve: the rest of the piece keeps its moisture and aroma intact.
Delivery and Logistics
Refrigerated B2B and B2C delivery in Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Cold chain at 2-4 degrees with the LAPA fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Kloten, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Bern and Basel; for Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux) and mountain regions (Chur, Davos, St. Moritz) delivery within 24-48 hours with certified food-grade partners such as Swiss Post Frigo-Express, Planzer and Galliker.
Who It Is For
Italian restaurants, pizzerias, delicatessens, hotels, catering services, Italian grocery stores and private customers who want the true San Daniele DOP on their board: a variable-weight piece of approx. 7.5 kg designed for slicing machines and high-rotation counters.
