Italian Cured Meats & Charcuterie Guide UK
Compare prosciutto, bresaola, salami, pancetta and other Italian charcuterie for sharing boards, antipasti, sandwiches, pizza and professional menus. Learn how flavour, texture, cut and pack format can help you choose the right cured meat.
Italian cured meats differ in flavour, texture and how they are served
Prosciutto, bresaola, salami and pancetta are not interchangeable. Some are delicate and thinly sliced, others are firmer, spiced, smoked or intended partly for cooking. Use this guide to understand the main styles and choose products around the dish, occasion and amount you need.
Prosciutto Crudo
Delicate dry-cured ham with a mild, savoury character, ideal for antipasti, charcuterie boards and Italian-style starters.
View Prosciutto Crudo SlicesBresaola
Lean air-dried beef with a refined savoury flavour, often served thinly sliced with rocket, lemon, olive oil and hard cheese.
View Italian BresaolaSalame Napoli
Seasoned Italian salami with a rich savoury profile and gentle warmth, suited to antipasti, sandwiches, pizza and sharing boards.
View Salame NapoliPancetta
Cured pork belly with a rich, savoury character that can be used for charcuterie or cooked into pasta, risotto, pizza and breakfast dishes.
View Smoked PancettaItalian charcuterie buying guide
Use the sections below to compare cured meats by flavour, cut, serving style and professional use.
Prosciutto Crudo for antipasti, boards & premium starters
Prosciutto Crudo is an Italian dry-cured ham typically served in thin slices. Its relatively delicate profile makes it easy to combine with cheese, fruit, bread and antipasti.
Nicol Retailer currently lists pre-sliced Prosciutto Crudo in four 250g packs, as well as a much larger boneless ham format for professional use.
Choose sliced packs for convenience or a larger whole format where the kitchen has the equipment, volume and storage to handle it properly.
- Melon
- Figs
- Burrata
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan-style cheese
- Olives
- Artisan bread
- Antipasti vegetables
Bresaola: lean air-dried beef with a delicate savoury flavour
Bresaola differs from many Italian charcuterie products because it is made from beef rather than pork.
The current Nicol Retailer Sliced Italian Bresaola is made from beef hip and traditionally cured, producing a tender, ruby-red meat with a refined savoury profile.
It works particularly well served simply, where the meat remains the main flavour.
Classic serving idea: arrange thinly sliced bresaola with rocket, lemon, extra virgin olive oil and shaved hard Italian cheese.
Salame Napoli for boards, sandwiches, pizza & antipasti
Salame Napoli offers a firmer texture and more seasoned flavour than delicate cured ham.
Nicol Retailer currently lists San Michele Sliced Salame Napoli 500g, a ready-sliced format with a savoury profile and mild warmth.
Its versatile format makes it practical for charcuterie boards, panini, pizza toppings, buffets and professional service.
- Charcuterie boards
- Antipasti
- Pizza
- Panini
- Sandwiches
- Buffets
- Picnics
- Hospitality platters
Pancetta for charcuterie and Italian cooking
Pancetta is cured pork belly and can play two different roles: it may be served as part of a charcuterie selection, or used as a savoury cooking ingredient.
Nicol Retailer currently lists Gran Bosco Smoked Pancetta Slices 500g, which brings a smoky profile and can be used across pasta, risotto, pizza, breakfast dishes and entertaining.
Choose by purpose: if you need meat mainly for a cold charcuterie board, prosciutto, bresaola or salami may be more straightforward. Choose pancetta when you also want a versatile cooking ingredient.
How to choose the right Italian cured meat
Start with how you plan to serve the product, then choose by flavour, texture, cut and pack size.
Build a balanced Italian charcuterie selection
A good charcuterie board uses contrast rather than simply adding more meat. Combine two or three styles with complementary cheese, bread and accompaniments.
Prosciutto
Adds soft texture and a mild cured-meat profile.
Bresaola
Adds air-dried beef and a refined savoury character.
Salami
Adds firmer texture, spicing and deeper savoury flavour.
Italian Cheese
Add burrata, mozzarella, Gorgonzola or hard Italian cheese.
Bread, Olives & Pickles
Use contrasting crisp, acidic and savoury elements.
Fruit or Quince
Figs, pears or quince can balance salty cured meats and cheese.
Which cured meat should you choose for each use?
- Charcuterie board: combine prosciutto, bresaola and salami for contrasting textures.
- Antipasti: prosciutto and bresaola work well alongside Italian cheese, olives and vegetables.
- Pizza: salami and pancetta can add stronger savoury flavour.
- Sandwiches and panini: sliced salami, prosciutto and bresaola are convenient options.
- Pasta and risotto: pancetta is particularly useful when the cured meat is intended to be cooked.
- Elegant starter: bresaola or prosciutto can work well with relatively simple accompaniments.
Italian cured meats for restaurants, delis & catering
Nicol Retailer’s current range includes both convenient sliced packs and larger professional cured-meat formats.
For example, Prosciutto Crudo is available as sliced 250g packs and as a boneless approximately 5.5–6kg ham. The larger format is positioned for restaurant, deli, catering and professional kitchen use.
A whole cured ham only makes sense when the business has appropriate slicing capability, refrigerated storage and sufficient turnover.
- Restaurants
- Italian restaurants
- Delicatessens
- Cafés
- Hotels
- Caterers
- Event venues
- Hospitality kitchens
Storage, ingredients & allergen considerations
Cured meats differ in formulation, pack format and storage requirements. Always follow the instructions on the individual product and packaging supplied.
Some cured meats contain additional ingredients such as sugars, spices, preservatives or other recipe components. Certain products may also contain regulated allergens.
For example, the current Gran Bosco Chorizo Vela declares milk-derived ingredients, showing why charcuterie should not be treated as one uniform allergen group.
Important: check every cured meat individually for ingredients, allergens, storage instructions and dietary suitability. Do not infer suitability from the fact that a product is simply described as cured meat.
For wider guidance, visit Ingredients, Allergens & Dietary Information .
Explore more delicatessen guidance
This guide focuses specifically on Italian cured meats and charcuterie.
For Italian mozzarella, burrata, Gorgonzola, Scamorza, ricotta and hard cheese, read the Italian Cheese Buying Guide UK .
For the complete delicatessen shopping hub, visit Delicatessen Online UK .
Italian cured meat FAQs
Common questions about Italian charcuterie and cured meats.
What Italian cured meats does Nicol Retailer sell?
The current range includes products such as prosciutto, bresaola, salami, pancetta and other cooked and cured speciality meats.
What is the difference between prosciutto and bresaola?
Prosciutto Crudo is dry-cured ham, while bresaola is air-dried beef. They therefore have different textures, flavour profiles and serving characteristics.
What is Salame Napoli?
Salame Napoli is an Italian salami style with a seasoned, savoury profile. It can be served on charcuterie boards or used in sandwiches, pizza and antipasti.
Can pancetta be served on a charcuterie board?
Some pancetta formats can be served as part of a charcuterie selection, but pancetta is also particularly useful as a cooking ingredient for pasta, risotto and pizza.
What cured meats are good for a charcuterie board?
A simple Italian-style board could combine delicate prosciutto, lean bresaola and a more strongly seasoned salami for contrast.
Can I buy sliced Italian cured meats?
Yes. Nicol Retailer currently lists sliced prosciutto, bresaola, salami and pancetta formats.
Can restaurants buy larger cured-meat formats?
Yes. Selected products are available in larger formats, including a boneless 5.5–6kg Prosciutto Crudo for professional use.
Where can I buy Italian cured meats online?
Browse the Cooked & Cured Speciality Meat range at Nicol Retailer.
What cheese goes well with Italian charcuterie?
Italian cured meats can be paired with fresh mozzarella, burrata, hard Italian cheese, Gorgonzola or other speciality cheeses, depending on the flavour balance you want.