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PDO — Corsica
A minimum of twelve months in mountain drying sheds, sometimes eighteen or twenty-four — Prisuttu is patience made meat, the ultimate symbol of Corsican PDO (AOP) charcuterie, sculpted by the air, the wind and island savoir-faire.
Charcuterie speciality from Corsica, PDO (AOP) since 2012.
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Throughout the Mediterranean, dry-cured ham is one of the oldest forms of meat preservation. In Corsica, it takes its own distinct name — Prisuttu — and an uncompromising identity: it is always kept on the bone, without the trotter, which is sawn off, and without superficial packaging, in keeping with the tradition that alone allows prolonged maturation and the gradual concentration of aromas. This is no industrial boneless ham. It is a whole leg, trimmed with a precise technique handed down through centuries, resting for several months in stone and timber drying sheds before reaching maturity.
Pig slaughter, u macellatu, marked the beginning of winter in every mountain village and the moment to provide the family with meat for the months ahead. The leg was the centrepiece — the longest to prepare, the most precious to protect, the one brought out for festive feasts and weddings.
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The distinctiveness of Prisuttu begins with the Porcu Nustrale, an endemic local pig breed reared on extensive open ranges across Corsican oak and chestnut groves. During the finishing stage, between October and March, the animals roam these wooded pastures and feed, for at least thirty of the forty-five days this phase lasts at a minimum, exclusively on fallen acorns and chestnuts — a diet that yields particularly aromatic intramuscular fat. Another hallmark visually distinguishes the piece: the gras de couverture, a layer of white to pinkish fat preserved on the outer face of the leg, 2.5 to 5.5 centimetres thick depending on the weight of the cut, which protects the meat throughout its long maturation.
The Corsican industry was structured around the Syndicat de Défense et de Promotion des Charcuteries de Corse « Salameria Corsa », a defence and management organisation recognised by the INAO, which spearheaded the application for recognition as an appellation d'origine contrôlée, approved by Decree No. 2012-445 of 2 April 2012. At the time of this recognition, nine artisanal businesses were granted a five-year transition period to comply with the specifications.
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Where industrial hams are marketed within three to six months, the specifications impose a maturation period exceeding four months and a piece aged at least twelve months when first released to market. The most exacting artisans go well beyond this minimum — up to eighteen or twenty-four months, with some reaching thirty-six months for large pieces —, allowing time for the fat to melt slowly and the muscle to concentrate its flavours. Every natural cellar, at every altitude and with every orientation, yields a subtly different Prisuttu.
Appearance
Cut always presented on the bone, without trotter, elongated and profiled like a racquet; white to pinkish outer fat layer covering the exterior surface
Aroma
Rich and aromatic bouquet, notes of hazelnut, mushroom or wood, with a slight smoky aroma or buttery taste possible
Taste
Characteristic salty flavour with a peppery note and a predominance of hazelnut; the fat itself is mild and almost sweet
Texture
Lean meat red to deep red, marbled; firm yet tender texture, or even remarkably unctuous
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Take the Prisuttu out of the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before serving. It is sliced into thin slices 2 to 3 mm thick, holding the knife at a slight angle to achieve a generous surface area. It pairs well with melon, fresh figs, Brocciu or simply lightly toasted country bread. Natural wine pairings: a light red Nielluccio de Patrimonio, or a 3- to 4-year-old white Vermentino to accompany without overpowering.
Since: 2012
Area covered: All of Corsica (2A + 2B)
Key requirements: Exclusively Nustrale breed · piece always presented on the bone, without trotter · fat covering 2.5 to 5.5 cm · maturation > 4 months, piece ≥ 12 months before release to market · no additives or preservatives other than salt · sea salt exclusively
Trade association
Family-run
Family-run
Artisan
Artisan
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The Jean-Paul Vincensini et Fils farm describes itself as a breeder and processor of Corsican-breed pigs for more than 40 years, in San-Lurenzu, Haute-Corse. It produces its charcuterie — prisuttu, coppa, lonzu and saucisson sec — under the PDO (AOP), using organic farming methods.
It also offers organic terrines available in several recipes (chestnut, figatellu, fig and walnut, cured ham, myrtle, hazelnut and muscat, wild boar, veal, olive), as well as jams, honeys, cakes and canistrelli, vinegars and chestnut flour, all certified organic.
| Address | Lieu-dit Rebbia, route de Coïbiti, 20244 San-Lorenzo, France |
| 04 95 47 15 45 | |
| contact@vincensini.fr | |
| corse-bio.fr | |
|
All production is certified organic, since 2005. |
