Dalmatian Prosciutto Barić the Champion

Dalmatian prosciutto Barić from Opskrba Trade won the 11th Days of Croatian Prosciutto, which took place in Šibenik on 25 and 26 April 2025. The champion prosciutto was dried in Slivno, a town near Imotski. 12 top-quality prosciuttos were submitted for judging, and their quality is confirmed by the fact that there were no bronze medals this year – only silver and gold.

For brothers Ivan and Domagoj Barić, this is the first victory at the Days of Croatian Prosciutto, an event that is held in a different city every year and promotes exclusively protected prosciuttos, and Croatia has four of them - Krk, Istria, Drniš and Dalmatia, which are holders of the EU Protected Designation of Geographical Origin, while Istrian is the holder of the EU Protected Designation of Origin.

Dalmatian prosciutto is a cured meat specialty deeply rooted in the tradition of the Dalmatian region, renowned for its rich, aromatic flavor and the long, natural drying process that occurs in the Bora wind. It is made from pork leg that is salted exclusively with sea salt, without the addition of any preservatives, and then dried and matured for at least a year, often longer.

What makes Dalmatian prosciutto special is that it is smoked over hardwoods such as oak or beech, which gives it a distinctive aroma. This prosciutto is an essential part of Dalmatian gastronomy and is often served as an appetizer, with cheese, olives, and a glass of local wine. As a holder of a Protected Geographical Indication in the European Union, Dalmatian prosciutto symbolizes the combination of nature, tradition and the craftsmanship of local producers.

In addition to the awarding of gold and silver plaques to the best prosciuttos, two special awards were also given this year for their contribution to prosciutto production - to the famous producer of Drniš prosciutto Drago Pletikosa, a keeper of tradition and a great lover of his homeland, and to Ivica Kovačević, one of the initiators of the founding of the Dalmatian Prosciutto Association.

Foto Mario Alajbeg