Presunto substitute

Substitutes for Presunto with ratios

1. 2Prosciutto di Parma or Prosciutto Crudo

   Close match

   Use the same amount

   The most available dry-cured ham in most countries and a very good swap.

   What changes

   It is a little sweeter, softer and more delicate than presunto, with less of the nutty, savory edge that longer-cured Portuguese ham has, so a plate of it tastes gentler and a sandwich reads slightly more Italian. In a cooked dish nobody will notice.

   Best for

   raw plates and boards, sandwiches, wrapping around melon, fish or asparagus, chopped into soups and stews

   Prosciutto cotto is cooked ham and a completely different product, so make sure the label says crudo. Add it to hot dishes at the last moment.

2. 3Speck (Alto Adige)

   Different taste

   Use the same amount

   Dry-cured like presunto but lightly cold-smoked, which is the whole difference.

   What changes

   That smoke actually suits Portuguese cooking, which already leans on smoked sausage and paprika, so it works well in a stew or a hash. On a plain plate of ham with bread, the smoke is obvious and pulls the flavor away from Portugal.

   Best for

   cooked dishes, hashes and stews, with eggs and potatoes, sandwiches, wrapping meat or fish for roasting

   Use a slightly lighter hand than the recipe says, since smoke reads stronger than salt-cure. Good choice if presunto is going into a bean dish alongside chourico.

3. 4Jamon Iberico

   Close match

   Use the same amount

   Richer, nuttier and more marbled than everyday presunto, with fat that melts at close to room temperature.

   What changes

   Treat it as an upgrade rather than a compromise: it tastes deeper and more buttery, so it is glorious raw and largely wasted once cooked into a stew.

   Best for

   raw plates and boards, pintxos and tapas, draping over warm toast or bread, special-occasion sandwiches

   Expensive, so buy it for the dishes where the ham is served as-is. Let it sit out for ten minutes before serving so the fat softens.

4. 5Coppa or Capocollo

   Taste and texture differ

   Use the same amount

   Cured pork shoulder or neck rather than leg, so it is fattier, more marbled and spiced with pepper, fennel or paprika depending on the maker.

   What changes

   A slice tastes distinctly peppery and richer than presunto, which works well chopped into a stew or a bean pot but makes a raw plate taste of seasoning rather than of ham.

   Best for

   chopped into stews, beans and soups, sandwiches with strong flavors, pizza and flatbreads, charcuterie mixed with other meats

   Pick the mildest version you can find. Because it is fattier, it renders more in a hot pan than presunto would.

5. 6Pancetta or Lean Bacon (cooked dishes only)

   Taste and texture differ

   Use the same amount

   In a stew, a bean pot or a caldo verde base, cured pork fat and salt is a large part of what presunto contributes, and pancetta or bacon supply both.

   What changes

   Pancetta tastes plainly porky and salty, which is close; bacon adds smoke and, in most American brands, a hint of sugar, which pushes the dish sweeter and smokier than intended.

   Best for

   bean stews and soups, rice dishes, sauteed greens, any dish where the ham is cooked in

   Brown it first to render the fat, then cut back the salt in the recipe because both are saltier than they taste raw. Never use either where the ham is served raw on a plate.