presunto

Also known as: Portuguese ham

A Portuguese dry-cured ham, made and aged similarly to Italian prosciutto or Spanish jamón -- salted, air-dried, and matured for months, giving it a firm texture and a concentrated, salty-savory flavor. Used both sliced thin as a cured meat on its own and diced or cubed as a flavor base browned at the start of soups, beans, and stews, where it works like a smokier, more intense bacon.

Buying guidance

Sold both pre-sliced (for eating on its own, like prosciutto) and in a chunk or diced (better for cooking into a dish, since it holds together while browning). If a recipe wants it browned as a soup or stew base, buy it already diced or ask the deli counter to cut a thick chunk rather than thin slices, which will just shred and dissolve rather than developing browned edges.

Substitutions

Prosciutto -- very close in flavor and texture; a common 1:1 substitute outside Portugal, where it's more widely available.
Pancetta or thick-cut bacon -- less concentrated and typically smokier, but a reasonable stand-in for the browned, salty-savory base it provides in a soup or stew.
Serrano ham -- similar dry-cured character, another close substitute.

Tips & common mistakes

Because it's already well salted from curing, dishes built around it often need less added salt than expected -- taste before salting a soup or stew that includes it, rather than salting to a habitual amount up front.

Storage

An unopened vacuum-sealed package keeps for weeks in the refrigerator; once opened, wrap tightly and use within a week or so, similar to other dry-cured hams. A whole uncut leg, if bought that way, keeps considerably longer hung in a cool space, the traditional way it's stored.