The origins of processing pork legs in the production area of ​​Piedmont butchers date back to at least the 17th century. Pig slaughtering days, held towards the end of winter, were celebration days of peasant families, passed down from generation to generation. The best legs were cut from pork carcass for salting and sent to ripen in cellars or farm granaries, resulting in excellent hams. The resulting products, including hams, represented an irreplaceable source of nutrients for both protein and caloric intake.

After the second half of the nineteenth century, the ham of the Cuneo plain acquired greater importance: the new bourgeoisie, born from the development of industry and trade, made ham and its processing a true culinary art. Chefs began to combine fine wines and cheeses with prosciutto. The nobility and clergy who adhered to the tradition demanded personalized recipes from the "master butchers" who were the founders of the first artisanal cured meats.

The entire confined area, from the Cuneo region to the Langhe hills, Monferrato Asti and Turin hills, tends to have a constant humidity. Humidity level varies between 50% and 70%. The conditions are therefore ideal for curing hams, even in natural cellars without special environmental conditioning. Crudo di Cuneo PDO comes from the combined and combined action of human and environmental factors that influence its production over time and contribute to its unique qualitative characteristics. The origin of the raw materials used to feed the animals mainly contributes to guaranteeing the health of the animals coming from the same production area as Crudo di Cuneo PDO. Animals must be at least eight months old at the time of slaughter.

The high content of B vitamins means that 100 g of Crudo di Cuneo DOP provides approximately 70% of the daily requirement for vitamins B1 and B6. As for the protein component, the high protein content is emphasized (25-27%). Crudo di Cuneo PDO has a very high protein content of 22/24%.