Thread: Pancetta...work in progress!

I thought to myself when buying the last lot of pancetta that I would ask my Italian friend how to make it. It is expensive even though something of an indulgence...so I bought a piece of pork belly weighing 1.28 kg.

The idea is this...you can either remove the skin or not, up to you. Cut out the rib ends. I have not removed the meat from where the gristle was as I will not be rolling it. Then rub both sides of the piece of meat, which has had the edges cut so they are nice and straight, with the spice/salt mix. You will need some pink salt (bacon cure, in old parlance saltpetre...) which I guess you could not have to use but you would have to add another teaspoon of salt, I am thinking! The saltpetre helps to maintain a nice colour and does keep the meat safer from lurgies.

So you have got the spices and salts rubbed in, then place the meat and any errant mix in a ziplock bag or a non-reactive container. Leave for five days turning the meat twice a day...while you are turning it, without removing it from the bag, rub the mix in some more. On the fifth day, squish the meat; if it is still spongy, leave it another couple of day.

The foto depicts the meat at three days. You can see how the salt is drawing moisture out of the meat.



I won't give the recipe yet until it is done just in case it doesn't turn out as it should. My friend and co use wild pork. More soon...

I made one of these in an old fridge.

I Like the bag method tho, probably makes it more translucent.

Mine was too salty. It takes a bit of tweaking to get that bit just right.

You've rekindled my fire. , thanks @EeeBees

Tim

I thought you are supposed to flatten it with weights as well, or am I confused with a different pork product?
Either way I'm sure I can find time to act as the taste tester

I've only heard of that with dry cured ham ... happy to stand corrected tho if anyone knows otherwise ...

Looks good, can't wait to see the finished product

Did the turn over thing with it just now...there is even more moisture from the meat this evening...the smell of the spices and herbs is really nice...

Barefoot - I think it's prosciutto thats cured as a whole ham with a weight on top. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.


Prosciutto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Forgot to add need to go and buy some muslin for the drying part. It will need at least five or so days drying...thankfully even in the heat we have had over the last few days the porch to the shack is still cool, but as my friend says it is more about the humidity...which sounds very technical to me!!

I've used some of that painters cloth as muslin before.


Tim

I am as excited as a moosehunter bringing down a orignal with a sixty inch rack spread, honestly!! It being the seventh day, I washed the spices and salts off the meat then dried it off with kitchen towels.



then I fried a couple of pieces to do a taste test...tres bon!!!

Then sprinkled on a further tablespoon of cracked pepper...



Due to the weather, I decided to dry the pancetta out in the fridge...rather than hang it up somewhere...it is set on a cake rack placed in a container...



then covered the whole container with meat cloth...



and will leave it for at least a week...

Here is the recipe...

This is what you need for a kilo of belly...

2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp of pink salt
4 just rounded tsp rock salt
1 tbsp brown sugar (although I used caster sugar as I did not have any brown)
1 tbsp cracked pepper (and a further tbsp for sprinkling after the curing)
2 bay leaves crushed
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 sprig of fresh thyme

Mix altogether well before rubbing into all surfaces of the meat. I would not leave the strips of meat between the ribs on the piece of meat again. If it turns out a bit too salty, you only need to slice and blanche in water until the water comes to the boil, drain then fry or grill as per normal.

Oh dang, just realised I missed the 1tbsp of crushed juniper berries...opps!!!

Originally Posted by EeeBees

Oh dang, just realised I missed the 1tbsp of crushed juniper berries...opps!!!

Pour some Gin on it then EeeBees. That is made from Juniper isn't it?

@EeeBees inspired belly pork pancetta in progress.
Pork, salt , pepper, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and star anise. No garlic.

Let's see how we go.

T

Yay!!!! Looking good... Cannot wait to hear the outcome!!!!

well done on the experiment guys, will be watching this thread with interest....and anticipation!