Use Your Microwave To Make Crunchy, Savory Prosciutto Chips

When you're trying to decide on the best types of meat for a charcuterie board, prosciutto will undoubtedly rank high on your list. This salty piece of cured pig hind leg is sure to be the star of your social gathering. While plain prosciutto is undeniably delicious, you might be surprised to find out that there are many different prosciutto dishes you can serve at your next party.

Arguably, the best form of prosciutto is crispy. You can create a variation of the BLT sandwich, a PAT (prosciutto, arugula, and tomato), by crisping your prosciutto, much like how you would prepare bacon. Bobby Flay's Italian take on the classic BEC sandwich utilizes a piece of pan-fried prosciutto in lieu of bacon. However, you don't need to dirty a pan to make perfectly crispy prosciutto. If you're facing time constraints, all you need to make a prosciutto chip is a microwave. In fact, this preparation style is beneficial for both your metaphorical time crunch, and the literal crunch of your prosciutto.

There are myriad ways to make your prosciutto crispy. You could place your prosciutto in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for about ten minutes, or give it a shorter stint of seven minutes in a 400-degree Fahrenheit air fryer. With both of these methods, you'll transfer the cooked, cured chip onto a paper towel, which will soak up any excess fat dripping from the sliced meat.

When crisping prosciutto in the microwave, paper towels also play an important role. To prepare, simply sandwich the slice between two sheets of paper towel, and microwave on high for around 30 seconds. Essentially, this cooking method works by making the prosciutto fry in its own fat. You'll know that you've successfully microwaved your meat when the slice begins to pop with the blisters and cracks that represent rendered fat. After the half minute has ended, discard the soaked sheets of paper towel and allow the newly crisped cut to rest for around five seconds while it continues to crisp up.

Once you've made your microwaved prosciutto, there are countless ways to use the crunchy chips. Adding the chips to your next charcuterie spread gives your guests a new textural choice. Also, you can crush the chips into small pieces and sprinkle these salty meat fragments over a salad, or mix them into a plate of pasta.

Prosciutto, an Italian delicacy, is prepared by covering a pig leg with salt and allowing this salt-covered meat to sit in a cool, dry place for a few months. In Italy, cooking prosciutto is sometimes considered a cultural faux pas. Despite this, you shouldn't let anyone dissuade you from making crunchy prosciutto. While some oppose the idea of blasting the delicate product with microwaves, others may feel that any loss of fat flavor is compensated for by the crispy texture. Therefore, it's best to let the recipe you're using dictate your prosciutto preparation.