Capicola vs. Prosciutto: What’s the Difference?

Capicola, also referred to as coppa, capocollo, or even gabagool among New York’s Italian-American population, is an Italian cured meat made from pork shoulder and neck. It originated in Piacenza in the north of Italy and in the Calabria region in the south. As a result, the European Union has granted both coppa Piacentina and coppa Calabrese Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. Basilicata, Lazio, Apulia, Tuscany, and Umbria also boast their own regional varieties of capicola. Serve capicola in thin slices, either on its own as an appetizer or on grinders and panini.

Prosciutto is dry-cured meat made from the hind leg of a pig. It originated in Parma and San Daniele in northern Italy, earning both prosciutto di Parma (or Parma ham) and prosciutto di San Daniele PDO status. Enjoy prosciutto in paper-thin slices, either uncooked as prosciutto crudo, or cooked as prosciutto cotto.

Capicola and prosciutto are both types of whole-muscle salumi, a category that includes other cured meats like guanciale, pancetta, culatello, speck, and bresaola. So while you’re likely to see both types of cured ham on charcuterie boards and deli subs, they differ in several notable ways.

1. 1. Seasoning: Sea salt is the sole seasoning in prosciutto, which is defined by the nuance of its saltiness. The rub used for capicola, meanwhile, can include a range of spices and flavors, from wine to fennel and red pepper.
2. 2. Texture: Both capicola and prosciutto appear on charcuterie boards in thin slices, but prosciutto is known for its buttery texture due to its higher fat content, while capicola is more tender.
3. 3. Price: Prosciutto tends to be more expensive than capicola since prosciutto’s dry-curing process takes around twenty-four months to complete, while capicola’s takes only six.

While the specifics of the process vary according to regional and personal preferences, the basic curing process for capicola entails seasoning and dry-curing pork neck and shoulder for up to six months.

1. 1. First, season the cut of meat (pork neck and shoulder) with garlic, herbs, wine, and spices.
2. 2. Next, apply a salt rub and refrigerate the meat for up to several weeks.
3. 3. Wash the salt off and the meat go through another round of seasoning using a rub made from spices like black pepper, red pepper, fennel, aniseed, paprika, and coriander.
4. 4. Stuff the seasoned meat into either collagen sheets or a natural casing made from pig diaphragm.
5. 5. Hang the sausages in a temperature-controlled room and dry-cure for up to six months.

The prosciutto-making process involves salting and drying a pig’s leg for up to thirty-six months.

1. 1. Salt a pig’s hind leg and leave for several weeks in a cool, dry place.
2. 2. Wash the salt off the meat, and then hang in a cool, humid place for anywhere from sixty to ninety days.
3. 3. Leave the meat to dry for twelve to thirty-six months in an area that allows for maximum air circulation. The longer the meat dries, the firmer the meat becomes.

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