Making Pancetta from scratch – old-fashioned way!

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Making Pancetta from scratch – old-fashioned way
Prep Time: 10 minutes + 16 hr. rest
Cure Time: 5 - 6 weeks
Makes: 3 lbs.

Pancetta is so easy to make right at home - really! This is our traditional family way to make pancetta from scratch. As we know, pancetta makes a fantastic addition to any sauce. It’s also great on pizzas and let’s not forget how great it is when fried with eggs. Besides, homemade is always best.

Ingredients
• 1 cup (290 grams) (10 oz) fine table salt or fine sea salt
• 1 pork belly, 3 lbs. (1.36 kg)
• Spices: Paprika, hot chili flakes, black pepper – use 1, 2 or all 3 spices, to taste

Process
• Put pork belly in a container and completely cover it in salt, all around. Place in fridge for 16 hours (15 hour minimum – 16 hours ideal, no longer)
• Remove from fridge and wash off all the salt. Pat the belly dry with paper towel
• Sprinkle spices all around the pork belly.
• Poke a small hole in one of the corners, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) from the edge
• Run a string through the hole, enough to hang the pork belly, and then hang it in your cantina (cold room – fruit cellar) or in your fridge. Just make sure it hangs freely with nothing touching it. (optimal temperature range is 34 deg. F to 40 Deg. F) (1 C to 4 C) (optimal humidity range is 65 – 75%)
• Let hang anywhere from 5 – 6 weeks – when cured, it should be firm once you squeeze it
• With a brush, you can now remove any excess spices by brushing them off
• You can now slice and enjoy fresh or use for cooking. A good practice is to cut the pancetta into smaller sizes and then vacuum seal them (i.e. with a food saver type vacuum) for later use. Once vacuum sealed, they will last up to 2 years, best if stored in the fridge.
NOTE: The skin on the outside will be very hard once it’s dry and cured, so you can just slice that part off.