Prague Ham

Prague Ham on a stall at the Old Town Square in Prague

Prague Ham (Czech: Pražská šunka) is a type of brine-cured, stewed, and mildly beechwood-smoked boneless ham^[1][2] originally from Prague in Bohemia (Czech Republic). When cooked on the bone, it is called šunka od kosti ("Ham off the bone"), considered a delicacy.^[3] It was first marketed in the 1860s by Antonín Chmel, a pork butcher from Prague's Zvonařka ("Bell-Maker street") on the Nuselské schody (The Nusle Steps).^[4]

It was a popular export during the 1920s and 1930s – to the point that other cultures started copying the recipe and making it domestically. Considered the Czech Republic's "family silver", it is now regionally brand-protected by European law.^[5] Because of this, other regions must call it "Prague style" Ham rather than Prague Ham.

The Old Prague Ham Scam

Prague Ham is traditionally served in restaurants with a side of boiled potatoes^[6] (and lots of good Czech beer^[7]).

Shady street vendors sell the same dish, but sell it by the weight in grams rather than per serving.^[8] Tourists who don't know any better and say how much they want (or who don't understand the metric system) will get a large slab of ham and a heaping side order of potatoes. What seemed economical at first usually adds up to quite a sum - the final cost can be greater than if they bought a three-course meal in a fine restaurant.^[9]

Names in Other Languages

• German: Prager Schinken.
• Italian: Prosciutto di Praga. An Italian dry-cured pressed ham prepared like a Prague Ham.

Links

• Ham
• Czech cuisine

References

1. Prague Ham
2. About Prague Ham - and Czech Beer
3. About Prague Ham - and Czech Beer
4. Prague Ham
5. Prague Ham
6. Scam Detector - The Old Prague Ham Scam
7. About Prague Ham - and Czech Beer
8. TripAdvisor.com - Prague, Czech Republic - Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti) - "Great Location but beware your dining choices!"
9. Scam Detector - The Old Prague Ham Scam