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Air-Curing Ham, also known as Air-Drying, is a very old technique for making and preserving ham.

Hams are trimmed, salted on the exterior, and hung to dry in a well-ventilated space, often rooms with shutters. The salt draws moisture out, and the flesh absorbs salt in.

Many Air-Cured Hams will keep for years.

Some of the best known examples are the various types of prosciutto made in Italy. Air-Curing is also the tradition in the southern American states -- they call it theirs "Country Ham."

Most Air-Cured Ham can be eaten raw (though American Country Ham cannot be.)

Air-Cured Hams were a specialty of mountain areas because of the winds they received. Today, though, some of Italy's most well-known prosciuttos are made in the lowlands along the Po river,

Other, different curing techniques for ham are smoking them, or a "wet-cure" -- soaking or injecting in brine.

History
San Daniele appears to be the first place in Italy that there is documented evidence of hams being air-cured, as far back as the original Celt inhabitants there.

Also called:

Other entries for: Air-Cured Ham

Air-Cured Ham, Ammerländer Ham, Ardenne Ham, Bayonne Ham, Black Forest Ham, Culatello, Cumberland Ham, Extremadura Ham, Farmer's Ham, Iberico Ham, Marsh York Cure, Pikanto Ham, Prosciutto di Norcia, Prosciutto, Serrano Ham, Teruel Ham, Trevélez Ham, Vigezzo Ham, Westphalian Ham

Other entries for:

Ham
Ardennes Dry Ham, Bradenham Ham, Brine-Cured Ham, Butt End Ham, Country Ham, Devilled Ham, Fresh Ham, Gammon, Ground Ham, Guijuelo Ham, Ham Steak, Leoncini Roasted Ham, Limerick Ham, Los Pedroches Ham, Pannonia Ham, Spanish Ham, Suffolk Cure, Taylor Pork Roll, Wachholder Ham

Other entries for: Pork

Bacon, Barrow Hog, Berkshire Pigs, Butcher Hog, Casertano Pigs, Crown Roast, Fore Hock, Gilt Hog, Ground Pork, Hog Jowl, Iberian Pigs, Kurobuta Pork, Lard, Mortadella, Oreilles de Crisse, Pickled Pork, Pig's Feet, Pork Belly, Pork Brawn, Pork Chops, Pork Crackling, Pork Cubes, Pork Cuts Illustrated -- British, Pork Hocks, Pork Leg, Pork Loin, Pork Ribs, Pork Rinds, Pork Shoulder, Pork Souse, Pork, Prime Collar, Salt Meat, Sow, Spare Ribs, Stag Hog, Streak of Lean, Tasso, Ventrèche, Zampino

Other entries for:

Meat
Affettati, Beef, Buffalo, Cap On / Cap Off, Game, Goat, Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications, Minced Meat, Offal, Paillards, Potted Meats, Poultry, Roasts, Sausages, Sheep, Steak, Veal, Venison, Yak