Because prosciutto can be quite pricey, you should avoid letting it sit out for so long that it spoils. How long is the shelf life of prosciutto?
You need to be aware of the prosciutto’s shelf life regardless of whether you plan on ordering it from your neighborhood grocery store or purchasing it in a pre-packaged form.
Prosciutto’s storage, shelf life, and telltale signs of spoilage are all discussed in this article. And in those instances where it is relevant, we discuss the distinctions between the raw (prosciutto crudo) and cooked (prosciutto cotto) varieties of prosciutto.
Note
Not only are we discussing the genuine Italian prosciutto, also known as parma ham on occasion, but also prosciutto from other countries (cities like Parma or San Danielle might ring a bell). The same rules are applicable to regular dry ham, which is frequently sold under the name prosciutto.
How To Store Prosciutto
Prosciutto should be stored in the refrigerator ([USDA]) and in an airtight container, just like ham.
When you buy something that has already been packaged, the plastic container that it comes in will typically be able to be sealed again. Because of this, it is very easy to seal any leftover slices.
If you don’t have access to that method, you can tightly wrap the prosciutto in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or paper. By doing it this way, you add an extra level of separation.
In this manner, the ham is protected from coming into contact with any bacteria, drying out, or absorbing any odors. Or make your whole refrigerator smell like prosciutto (as tempting as this might be).
If you need more time to store your prosciutto, a helpful hint is that you can freeze it if it is wrapped. For added safety, seal the ham in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer.
When you purchase this dry ham at the deli counter, it will typically be packaged securely for you.
Keep using that wrap until the ham has been consumed.
How long is the shelf life of prosciutto?
Let’s begin with the variety that comes in pre-packaged containers.
On the label, you’ll frequently find a date, and using that as your jumping off point is a good idea.
Again, check the label to be sure, but the typical shelf life of pre-packaged prosciutto is between two and three months (USDA).
There is no reason why the ham shouldn’t maintain its high level of quality for an additional week or two given that it has been airtightly packaged. Obviously, the quality will deteriorate the longer it is stored in the refrigerator.
After you’ve opened the package, you should make every effort to consume the ham within two to four days at the most.
You can frequently discover comparable information on the label as well.
A helpful hint is to wrap the leftover slices in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer if you anticipate being unable to consume them within the next few days.
Prosciutto that is purchased at a deli counter behaves exactly the same way as open prosciutto. That means you shouldn’t buy more ham than you need for the next three to four days at most, and you should try to consume it all within that time frame.
How To Tell If Prosciutto Is Bad?
First things first, let’s talk about the appearance that your prosciutto ought to have.
The uncured variety of prosciutto, known as prosciutto crudo, should have a color that is somewhere between a deep red and a pinkish hue, as shown in the photos that I have provided. There should be distinct streaks of white fat running through the meat at various points. And it ought to have a pleasant aroma.
The cooked variety of prosciutto, known as prosciutto cotto, should be a pale pink color, and the fat ribbons should be thinner (still noticeable, though). In a nutshell, it resembles the traditional American deli ham in appearance ([TCB]).
A word of advice: if the packaging does not specify whether the product has been cured or cooked, you can assume that it has been cured (the crudo variety).
After you have an idea of what the ham should look like, we can move on to discussing how to determine whether or not it has gone bad. Here is what you need to keep an eye out for:
- a modification of hue: The ham has gone bad if the color changes noticeably from what it was when you bought it, such as becoming noticeably darker or grayer.
- Mold. You should toss the ham as soon as you notice any signs of mold or any other strange activity taking place on the surface of the meat.
- Bad smell. Prosciutto that has been cured properly should have a slightly sweet aroma, while prosciutto that has been cooked properly should smell like deli ham. Get rid of it as soon as you discover that it has begun to smell unpleasant or that there is something wrong with the way it smells.
- Too much time was spent in storage. To be on the safe side, you should throw away any opened prosciutto that has been stored in the refrigerator for more than a week. Yes, even if everything appears to be running smoothly.
If you have ever tasted or smelled old ham, you will be able to determine whether or not your prosciutto has gone bad. In my experience, the first indication that your ham is no longer fit for consumption is a change in the way that it smells.
