Ventrèche de porc

[wheels]

I'm looking to make some of the "French Pancetta" for a project. Before I go and do my research, can anyone save me the trouble? Has anyone got a (preferably authentic) recipe?

Cheers.

Phil

[SausageBoy]

Salt , pepper , roll and smoke.

Here's how the Chapolard's do it in Gascony (text and video).

http://kitchen-at-camont.com/2011/01/19 ... tepalooza/

[wheels]

Yes, many thanks, I've seen that one, it seems to be a very American take on the situation.

But what I can't get my head around is:

The ventreches are salted overnight, sprinkled liberally with fresh ground pepper, then rolled and smoked over night. They are sold the next day at the market. Fast and delicious!

Rolled and sold as a quality product in France in a day?

However, I get the gist of what you are saying - basically it's just bacon. In the absence of other advice, I intend to do a standard bacon cure with 3% salt and then coat it with BP before drying (whether rolled or flat).

But is that what it is?

Can any of our ex-pat members living in France advise.

Phil

[SausageBoy]

What's American about it?
It's made by the Chapolard family of Ferme Baradieu, Mezin, France.

Here is Dominique Chapolard making 'nut hams', Noix de Jambon.
The tiny hams are salted for only 2 days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kExZD7Pw ... ure=relmfu

And another video of their operation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xamF3__CfXk

[SausageBoy]

I intend to do a standard bacon cure with 3% salt and then coat it with BP before drying.

That's exactly how I did it, with both Ventreche and Noix de Jambon.

[wheels]

Sorry, it's the "Kitchen at Camont" bit that's the US cookery school. No other source has it being produced in a day. I wonder whether it's an error and what they're saying that they're rolled a day after they're cured? Most other references give a 10 day cure, which seems sensible to me?

I have seen the short cures for small hams like in the vids, but don't forget that they then hang for a good while to equalise. This one is different, they supposedly just cure it overnight then sell it?

Hopefully, one of our members resident in France can advise?

Phil

P.S. Many thanks for your help SausageBoy.

Phil

[wheels]

I intend to do a standard bacon cure with 3% salt and then coat it with BP before drying.

That's exactly how I did it, with both Ventreche and Noix de Jambon.

You only cured it for a day?

Phil

[SausageBoy]

"Kitchen at Camont" is in Gascony, France....not in America.

I agree that one day doesn't sound right.

Email Kate Hill at Kitchen-at-Camont and ask, she's a very nice lady.

[SausageBoy]

I intend to do a standard bacon cure with 3% salt and then coat it with BP before drying.

That's exactly how I did it, with both Ventreche and Noix de Jambon.

You only cured it for a day?

Phil

No, 60 hours per inch with skin off, 80 hours per inch with skin on.

[wheels]

Many thanks SausageBoy, that's making more sense now. "Kitchen at Camont" or "Kate at Camont" is fantastic. She also runs cookery schools near to where I live,

However, it would be great to hear from someone else that lives in Gascony, or is a French national from Gascony, or ex-pat.

Phil

[JollyJohn]

Phil.

I found this, and had Google translate to English:

Description
Variations: belly Catalan, Basque tuna belly.

In the Southwest, pork belly, rolled or flat, fresh or dried, salted, peppered or smoked or spiced, is called belly (the word "belly").

To make, craftsmen must reverse the chest, leaving cartilage that will contribute to the appearance and texture of the product. Once ready, the piece of chest is usually bathed in brine, drained, dried 2 to 4 weeks and then sold as is or with cracked pepper rolled and tied.
In the Basque country, where it is rubbed with the spice of Espelette, it draws the famous xingar (pronounced "chingarre"): thin slices of pork belly cut into the dryer.

The plate

This xingar is eaten sometimes raw as the Bayonne ham, but most often fried, with eggs or piperade (or both). You can also go to the grill, use it in bread sandwich, or even at breakfast where he will replace pleasantly bacon (the _arrautza your xingar_ is the Basque equivalent of bacon and eggs British!). The talo the belly meat (see talao) serves him, "sandwich" hot Basque folk festivals.

The belly, which comes in different forms and in other regions, such as Catalan Countries, can compare with the pancetta Italian. Taken from slaughtered pigs in the winter, she played a significant role in the family economy.

Author F. Zégierman, proofreading Keldelice.

http://www.keldelice.com/guide/specialites/la-ventreche

I'll be down in at our house in Aveyron in May, and will make a trip to one of the many charcutier locally, to get a bit more info.

John.

[SausageBoy]

FWIW,
I spoke with a friend in France this morning who told me that, where he lives, ventreche isn't cured like guanciale or pancetta , it's merely seasoned fresh pork belly. Hence the short salting and kiss of smoke.

[wheels]

A big thanks both. The other reference I have are these:

http://www.dartagnan.com/t54/60200/a345 ... age-1.html

http://jacqueline-church.suite101.com/c ... ny-a165514

It's almost as if there's two different products. I think I'll just make a bacon that's on the salty side for cooking, hang it for a good while to mature, and not bother too much about the name!

Phil

[JollyJohn]

A big thanks both. The other reference I have are these:

http://www.dartagnan.com/t54/60200/a345 ... age-1.html

http://jacqueline-church.suite101.com/c ... ny-a165514

It's almost as if there's two different products. I think I'll just make a bacon that's on the salty side for cooking, hang it for a good while to mature, and not bother too much about the name!

Phil

Maybe roll in BP as well.

The irony of this, is that you can't buy regular "bacon" as we know it, in France. When I go over, I take some cure with me, buy poitrine (belly pork), and make some bacon. Goes down a storm with our English & Dutch friends that live over there.

[wheels]

Yes, that's what I intend to do. Thanks to you both for your help. I've made some today and will give it a sprinkle of BP before roll it. I've done it sealed in a vac-bag, sealed but with only minimal vacuum. I've just remembered that I've not put the garlic in that I had intended - Doh! I can't be bothered to undo it all now!

Phil