How to make Pancetta at home -pork belly-
The idea came to my mind once I saw a beautiful fresh pancetta from the butcher. I love meat in all its forms and the Pancetta (tesa, which in Italy is different from pancetta arrotolata) with its very tasty fat drives any self-respecting carnivore crazy. Speaking later with some meat lovers and their processing, I almost decided to gave up the idea of making my own beautiful pancetta.
Pancetta comes from the pork belly, which is the meaning of this word in Italian.
Which spices to use, how many, how to store it and where, are just some of the problems that would discourage anyone. But I kept looking for a solution that suited me, a happy middle way that would interest all home adventurers. What I want to propose is a pancetta tesa with a classic spiciness, with a personal touch of course. In short, the typical diced pancetta.
Let’s start with some premises:
1. How to buy fresh pancetta. Certainly, every butcher treats it or you can also buy it in supermarkets that have their own meat counter. You just have to be careful not to get too greasy, otherwise it will shrink too much during the storage process, losing useful liquids. Look for a middle ground between meat and fat so you can start with a good base that will give a balance between flavor and crunchiness when you use it.
2. Keep the rind. Keeping the rind, in my opinion, facilitates seasoning and helps to preserve it, not to mention that there is a line of admirers who reuse it on several occasions.
3. Mix of spices. In this case, everyone can have preferences and I want to propose a blend with which I was happy (after various errors). Just keep in mind that some spices can be optional, such as chili pepper for example because it characterizes pancetta. Others may be preferable, such as dried garlic or fennel seeds which go well with pork in general. But pepper must always be used because it helps a lot in conservation. You can still try to remove it, if you don’t like it, in the rinsing phase.
4. Quantity of ingredients. The following is my recipe, the result of mixed experiences with personal taste. Trying to do it you will see that you will find a way to dose the ingredients to your liking. The important thing is that the spices cover the surface completely and homogeneously (except for the rind). Also for the coarse salt to use I will give indicative quantities.
Ingredienti
- 1 kgpancetta fresca (Pork belly)
- 3 cucchiainipepe nero (Balck Pepper)
- 1 cucchiainorosmarino (Rosmary)
- 1 cucchiainocoriandolo in polvere (Coriander seeds)
- 1 cucchiainoaglio in polvere (Garlic powder)
- 1 cucchiaiotimo (Thyme 1 spoon)
- 1 cucchiainozucchero di canna (Brown sugar 1 teaspoon)
- 1 cucchiainopepe verde (Green pepper 1 tablespoon)
- 1 fogliaalloro (a laurel leaf dried possibly)
Preparazione
Grind/Chop the spices in a mortar and mix them together. Place the bacon on a cutting board or tray and pour the spices over it. Massage well over the entire surface including the sides.
Once evenly coated, pour over a layer of coarse salt of at least one centimeter to help it lose excess liquids and start the preservation process. Then put it in the fridge on an inclined surface to give it the possibility of draining, taking care to put a container underneath that can collect excess fat.
Leave to drain for 5 days (this depends on the size of the bacon), you will see that it has reduced by at least a third. Make a hole and pass a string through it, then grind it lightly and leave it hanging in a cool place, such as a cellar, for a week. To protect it from insects, you can put it in a rather large jute bag, to let the air pass and prevent it from getting damaged.
After the week, rinse your bacon under the tap, but you can also use vinegar or wine to further degrease. Dry it well and re-apply some spices on the surface, this will help its conservation and will strengthen the flavor you want to give it. Hang it up again for at least two weeks before consuming it. Obviously the second spice passage can be considered optional, but I prefer a strong flavor and I almost always do it.
Important!
The slaughter of the pig takes place at a certain time of the year (around January). Consequently, pancetta will be more available at the beginning of the year. This also happens because if the temperatures or humidity increase, it will be very difficult to season cured meats and sausages correctly. So, plan salting and seasoning making sure to finish before summer or you risk throwing out a job that took weeks of waiting.