The aim of this study was to determine the CIE LAB properties of meat colour in raw and cured hams originating from Turopolje pigs from an open production system, investigating the effect of animals’ gender as well. The right thighs of 7 gilts and 13 castrates aged 18.15 ± 1.4 months and weighted 94.8 ± 11.5 kg were used. Brightness (L*) and chromatic axes “red-green” (a*) and “yellow-blue” (b*) were measured using a MINOLTA colorimeter on the surface of the m.semimembranosus of raw thighs and again on samples of the same muscle on a section of mature ham (approx. 15 months of age), while chromaticity (C*) and hue (h°) of the colour were obtained by calculation. The mean values of raw and cured hams for the weight (kg), L*, a*, b*, C* and h ° were 6.8 and 4.6, 44.34 and 28.59, 19.86 and 9.77, 5.40 and 2.82, 20.59 and 10.18 and 15.16 and 15.96 in castrates; and 6.2 and 4.0, 42.80 and 28.55, 19.49 and 10.28, 5.09 and 3.04, 20.15 and 10.73, and 14.64 and 16.38 in gilts, respectively. Processing of hams significantly (P<0.01) decreased all meat colour properties except h°, which remained unchanged. The effect of gender was not determined (P>0.05).