Need Pancetta Recipes

[This Little Piggy]

I'm new to the forum, so there might already be a wealth of pancetta recipes somewhere that I missed in my searches. If so, just point me in the right direction.

I've made the pancetta in Ruhlman's Charcuterie book, and I'm hungry for more. In Pamela Sheldon John's book, prosciutto pancetta salami, she talks about the regional varieties of pancetta�some smoked, some not, some rubbed with orange zest, some wiped with wine vinegar or marinated in wine�but she only gives recipes for using pancetta, not making it.

I'm hoping that this forum has some Italian members or Italian-speaking members who can find and translate some of these regional recipes for us. In the meantime, I'll have a go at creating some pseudo-Italian recipes and post the results here if they turn out.

[wheels]

Little Piggy

I've used are recipe from:

http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2008/08/pancetta-easiest-cured-meat-of-all.html

The blog owner says:

I�m an Italo-American who grew up in Italy eating and enjoying cured meats almost daily. I came to the US for college in 1996 for engineering school, and have been here since. About 5 years ago, some time around New Years, I was talking to my dad about one specific salume, cotechino, which is eaten in Italy traditionally at New Years and how much I would like to be able to eat it here in the US. So, long story short, I decided to make cotechino. Through experimentation and discussion with people in Italy, I eventually was able to make a very respectable version, one which i serve to my friends every year, and which they very much enjoy. From there I started thinking about other cured meats, some of which were either impossible to get here in the US, or so prohibitively expensive that it made no sense to buy them, and through research and experimentation, I started working on them. I�ve learned from books, old and new, and I�m far from an expert. I�m still learning a whole lot, which is one of the reasons I�m writing this blog, as a document for my experiments.

Whether this qualifies it as authentic, I'll leave you to judge.

(I can't say what it's like - it's still drying!)

Phil

[Spuddy]

I notice the blog's owner is Jasonmolinari, who is also a (not so regular) member here. Unfortunately he hasn't been here since last March.

[This Little Piggy]

Jason Molinari's website is one of my new favorites, but his most recent post apologizes for how busy he's been and how little he's done with curing meat or updating his website. I'd seen his recipe, and it looks almost identical to the one in Ruhlman�which is very good.

In the absence of any authoritative guidance, I'm going to forge ahead and try out a couple Italian-inspired recipes I've made up. (OK, I admit it; even if I had authoritative guidance, I would probably make up my own recipes anyway.)javascript:emoticon(':wink:')

Recipe #1, inspired by Tuscan Tarese Valdarno (which I've never tasted by the way)
In addition to salt, pepper, and curing salt, I plan to rub a piece of pork belly with crushed fennel, just a little clove, and some orange zest. When it comes out of the cure, I'll rub a little more pepper, fennel, and orange on the meat side, then roll it up, and hang it for 2-3 months, washing with balsamic vinegar every week..

Recipe #2, inspired by Sicilian pancetta arrotolata dei Monti Nebrodi (also never tasted)
In addition to the salt, pepper, and curing salt, I plan to rub a piece of pork belly with some red pepper flakes, oregano, and lots of garlic. When it comes out of the cure, I'll rub a little more pepper, red pepper, and oregano on the meat side, then roll it up, and hang it for 2-3 months, washing with red wine vinegar every week. At this point I might smoke it, but I'll have to taste it first.

If these turn out, you can be sure I'll post more detailed recipes!

[jasonmolinari]

Hey guys, i'm glad my blog is useful. Thanks.
As mentioned on my blog life is real hectic right now!

Anyhow, regarding pancetta. The recipe i use was derived from experimentation. As long as you have the salt and curing salts, you can vary it as you like.

Want it garlicky? Add more garlic. Peppery? More pepper. Pancetta takes very well to variation in herbs and spices used and their quantities. Since it's so easy to make, it's also a good cured meat to experiment on.

Cut your belly into 2 or 3 smaller pieces and then season them differently..in about a month you'll have something to try out and see which you prefer.

PS: i have a cotechino post ready to write. I made them this past weekend..just have to find an hour or so to write the post!

[jasonmolinari]

Oh yeah..Wheels, let me know what you think of the pancetta. It should be almost useable at this point...it's been 20 days..

[wheels]

I took it to about 30% weight loss and it was superb - many thanks for a great recipe.

Phil

[This Little Piggy]

Glad to see you back, Jason! I'll keep my eyes peeled for the cotechino post on your blog.

[jasonmolinari]

Thanks piggy. The cotechino post is up:)

There are so many food forums i read that i sometimes lose track of this great one. Then every once and a while i check back in and see tons of interesting topics. Like Spuddy's Chorizo...i really want to try that!

[This Little Piggy]

Well, it's been a month, and I've started cutting into both pancetti. I like the one with red pepper flakes and oregano (it makes a great pizza topping), but the second one, with fennel, clove, and orange zest is pretty spectacular. I took some yesterday to a chef with whom I play ping pong (he keeps the table in his back dining room), and now he wants me to start making it for the restaurant. They're going to cook up some new dishes just to feature this pancetta, such as seared duck breast with an orange sauce.

So here's the recipe for this one, which I'm so pleased with that I've christened it pancetta di larbo:

Rub a 3-pound piece of pork belly with

6 grams pink salt
25 grams kosher salt
12 grams turbinado sugar
10 grams coarsely ground black pepper
5 grams fennel, crushed
2 grams ground cloves
grated zest of two oranges

Put it in a plastic bag (like a Ziploc) and refrigerate it for 7 days. Every couple days, rub the belly to redistribute the seasoning (you can do this right through the bag). When the belly feels firm to the touch, it's cured. Then rinse off the cure ingredients, towel dry, and rub the inside of the belly with a second dose of pepper, fennel, clove, and oranges. Roll it up tightly (fat side outside) and tie it up.

Soak for a few minutes in balsamic vinegar (I use the inexpensive, commercial brand Antica Italia), then hang to dry where the temperature is between 50 and 60, and the humidity is about 60%. Every week, take it down and soak it in the balsamic vinegar again for a few minutes. (I keep the vinegar in a bag for this.) When the pancetta is firm but still pliable, after 2-3 weeks, it's ready to enjoy.

[wheels]

Looks a good recipe Little Piggy - one I'll definitely try.

Phil

[wallie]

Me to, do you smoke it?

wallie

[This Little Piggy]

I was thinking about cold smoking it with cherry wood, but after tasting it, I decided not to. One thing everyone likes about this pancetta is the fresh, clean taste of the orange zest that comes through, and so I didn't want to obscure this or muddy it up with any heavy, smoky flavors. A little cherry smoke might complement it and work nicely if the pancetta were just going to be served as an appetizer or antipasto, but it seems like it would make it less versatile for cooking. For example, one idea was to use some of this pancetta, maybe crisped up, in a carrot soup, but I can't see that working with any smoky flavors.

If anyone makes this and tries smoking it, let me know how it turns out!

[This Little Piggy]

Forgot to mention that, in addition to adding to the flavor, the vinegar wash also helps to preserve the pancetta. I've been taking it down, cutting a few slices when I want them, and then just hanging it back up. It continues to age just fine.

[This Little Piggy]

Wheels? Wallie? Did you try this recipe yet? If so, what did you think?