Artisanal Pancetta

Pancetta is Italian bacon and a delicious ingredient used in many dishes in Italy. It's pork belly cured with salt and seasonings, then rolled up and hung to dry for a few weeks. Typically sliced or chopped and sautéed, then combined with sautéed vegetables. Countless recipes start with sautéing onions and other aromatic vegetables. Below is the homemade pancetta recipe.

Add to pancetta cubed into any dish and will add an additional layer of flavor. The classic Roman dish spaghetti carbonara is made with pancetta and sautéed eggs. Peaces of pancetta can be added to stews, beans and soups.

The traditional process of curing and drying pancetta takes about three weeks, but variations can be made to suit individual tastes. Pancetta is not originally intended for direct consumption, it is used in the preparation of other dishes, so it is not necessary to let it dry completely like a coppa or salami, it may still become soft.

Artisanal Pancetta Ingredients

• 1.2 kg Pork belly
• 25g salt – 2%
• 3g curing salt 2 (6% of nitrite, 3% of nitrate and 93.75% of salt) – 0.24%
• 3g antioxidant (with sodium erythorbate) – 0.24%
• 12g brown sugar
• 2g black pepper
• 1 sprig of chopped thyme
• 1 sprig of chopped marjoram
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1g nutmeg

Preparation of Artisanal Pancetta

1. Trim the pork belly so that its sides are linear, forming a square or rectangle.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well for even distribution. Rub all the ingredients into the pork belly to give it an even coating over the entire surface.

3. Place the belly in a plastic bag or container with a lid. Refrigerate for 7 days. Turn the pork belly daily to redistribute the seasoning.

4. After 7 days, check the firmness of the pork belly. If it is firm at the thickest point, it is cured. If it still seems soft, refrigerate it with the cure for another 1 to 2 days.

5. Remove from the bag or pot, remove excess seasoning and dry the meat with a cloth or paper towel. Wrap the pork belly tightly, like a thick towel, and tie it tightly with string at 3 or 4 centimeter intervals. It is important that there are no air pockets inside the piece.

6. Wrap in collagen film, use elastic netting to make it easier, and hang the pancetta in a cool, humid place to dry for 2 weeks. Ideal conditions are 10°C to 14°C with humidity somewhere around 70%. A wine cellar, a cool and damp cellar or inside a plastic box in the glade (see recipe for salami made in the fridge) can works well. Moisture is important: If your pancetta starts to get hard, it is drying out and should be wrapped and refrigerated. The pancetta should be firm but pliable, not hard. Because pancetta is not meant to be eaten as is, curing is not as critical a stage as it is for items like copa, salami, raw ham, or dried sausages. But drying/curing/maturing pancetta increases its texture, intensifies its flavor and helps it preserve. As with almost all charcuterie products, don't stick to strict, one-size-fits-all rules.

7. After drying, pancetta can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 3 weeks or longer, depending on how dry it is and how seasoned it is. Frozen for up to 4 months. Freezing makes fine slicing easier.

Note: the curing salt contains sodium nitrite which has special and unique actions on meat: it changes the flavor, preserves the red color of the meat, prevents fats from developing rancid flavors and prevents the growth of many bacteria.

To store, package in vacuum or in PVC film and store in the refrigerator for up to 90 days or in the freezer for 6 months or more.

Production times for artisanal Pancetta

Start of drying/maturation: 09/29
End of drying/maturation: 10/21
Starting weight: 1252g
Final weight: 896g
Loss: 29%

Pancetta is not originally intended for direct consumption, it is used in the preparation of other dishes, so it is not necessary to let it dry completely like a cup or salami, it may still be partially soft