Prosciutto di San Daniele PDO is a cured deli product obtained from the processing of fresh legs of heavy Italian pigs born, bred and slaughtered in 10 regions of central-northern Italy. The product acquires its distinctive features in the aging process, which are directly related to the climate of the region and the San Daniele hill. It gets its sweet flavor from the local microclimate, the perfect combination of mountain air and the Adriatic Sea. Processing begins with weighing the thighs, which must be at least 12 kg. Then pruning is started in order to eliminate the defects caused by cutting. Salting is carried out for a period of time that varies according to the weight of the thighs; In fact, according to tradition, for every kilogram of weight, the leg is left in salt for a day. Now free of salt, the thigh is subjected to even pressure for 24-48 hours, giving it its typical "guitar" shape. By continuing the cycle of resting, washing, drying and "oiling", one of the most important stages, namely the seasoning stage, is reached. In this final stage, he becomes the undisputed protagonist of San Daniele's microclimate.

The origins of Prosciutto di San Daniele PDO go back to the Celts. Later, during the Council of Trent, chronicles of the time tell that the Patriarch of Aquileia sent 12 San Daniele hams to the bishops. Some documents also testify to the presence of this salami in the courts of France and Austria, and in Doges canteens. By the end of the nineteenth century there were already some companies in San Daniele that could boast of the references of the supplier of the Royal House and the Holy Apostolic Palaces.

It can be produced from pigs raised in one of 10 regions in north-central Italy, then processed and aged in San Daniele, a small region in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The product is marketed as Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP all year round. It is sold whole, with or without bone, in slices and sliced ​​over the counter, or pre-sliced ​​in trays.