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Westfälischer Schinken

Pork · Leg
SmokeCure
HeadBladeArm ShoulderLoinLegRibsBellyHock

Germany's other PGI cured ham, from the Westphalian region in North Rhine-Westphalia — the second iconic German Schinken alongside Schwarzwälder. Made from pigs traditionally fed on acorns and beech mast in the oak forests of the region (similar to Iberian *jamón ibérico*'s acorn diet, though the breed is different). Salt-cured, then cold-smoked over juniper, beech, and oak for several weeks at low temperatures — the smoke profile is woodier and less resinous than Schwarzwälder's fir-and-pine. Aged for 6 months minimum; sliced paper-thin and served as charcuterie. The companion to Schwarzwälder Schinken in the German cured-ham canon: same general technique, different woods, different region, distinct flavour profile.

Raw Westfälischer Schinken — Pork Leg cut

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesWestphalian hamUniversally used English term.
🇬🇧United KingdomWestphalian ham
🇫🇷FranceJambon de Westphalie
🇮🇹ItalyProsciutto di Westfalia
🇩🇪GermanyWestfälischer SchinkenprimaryPGI-protected (since 2009); from Westphalian pigs, cold-smoked over juniper / beech / oak. Distinct from Schwarzwälder (different region, different smoke woods).

Similar cuts

Schwarzwälder Schinkenclose

Companion German PGI cured ham — same general cure-then-cold-smoke technique, but different regions (Westphalia vs Black Forest) and different smoke woods (juniper/beech/oak vs fir/pine), giving distinct flavour profiles.

Prosciutto crudoclose

Both PGI European cured hams from the rear leg of pork — Westfälischer adds the cold-smoke step (German tradition) where Italian prosciutto is air-cured without smoke.

Jambon de Bayonneclose

Both PGI European cured hams; Bayonne is air-cured without smoke (French tradition), Westfälischer is cold-smoked (German tradition). Same anatomy, different finishing techniques.

Jamón ibérico de bellotaapproximate

Both feature pigs partially fed on acorns/forest mast — ibérico's bellota diet is the iconic example, Westphalian pigs traditionally also foraged in oak forests. Different breeds, parallel feeding traditions.

Leg of porkapproximate

Same anatomical primal — Westfälischer Schinken is the cured-and-smoked product made from the fresh leg.

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