Pancetta

[BrianShaw]

Re: Pancetta

I do whichever recipe as normal up through the wash and iar-dry in refrigerator. Then brush with liquid smoke when putting into oven on rack. Often I brush again when halfway to 150 deg. I never really measured but think about 1 Tbsp for a 5 lb bacon. Wrights is the best brand.

[papavino]

Re: Pancetta

This thread got me excited about making pancetta. I ordered pork belly from Sea Breeze Farms and I asked the guy about pink salt. He said that when he makes his pancetta, he only uses sea salt. I've found it fairly difficult to find an online recipe that doesn't include pink salt. The few I've found just said something vague like "I added more salt to compensate for not using pink salt." Not very helpful. I guess I'm stuck using pink salt, huh?

[Pdiff]

Re: Pancetta

Papavino,
In this case, I would recommend the pink salt. Unlike American smoked bacon, which cures in the fridge, is smoked briefly, and then immediately refrigerated again, the pancetta air dries and cures at relatively warm temps for a long time (2 weeks). Although you might be able to get away with a heavy salt, IMO, it's not worth getting it wrong :-) Besides that, you could end up with pancetta that is too salty, even after rinsing. With all the resources you have in Seattle, pink salt should be easy to come by. You only need a small amount.

Do try the pancetta. It is delicious. In fact, I have another batch halfway through the cure now. I'm trying to stock up before it gets too hot to cure it outside. Problem is, I keep using it . It's Mario Batali's fault!

Pdiff

[BrianShaw]

Re: Pancetta

In this case, I would recommend the pink salt.

I concur. For a while I went through a phase of non-nitrite curing for bacon and pancetta. Bruce Aidells, I seem to recall, said that pink salt is unnecessary. I trust him but did the experiement and went both ways for comparison. I can assure you that the taste and color difference resulting from using pink salt when curing is a significant difference... and a definite improvement on the final product.

P.S. There are a number of soruces of pink salt -- google butcher supply and you'll find them. Another source (if I may be so bold as to mention a particular shop) is a place called the Savory Spice Shop in Denver. I bought a pound of pink for about $5 from them. Morton salt has pre-blended curing salts, including maple and hickory flavored but I can't source them anywhere... even in the humongous city of los Angeles.

[papavino]

Re: Pancetta

Yeah, I've seen Morton's Tender Quick in a few grocery stores, but I've been hesitant to purchase it for the pancetta. I'd like to use sea salt and brown sugar and the tender quick uses regular Morton's salt and granulated sugar. There is a place near Safeco Field that carries pink salt in 5 lb. containers, so I'll probably hit that up and see if I can convince friends to cure their own meats, also, so we can actually use it up.

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Pancetta

the Savory Spice Shop in Denver

I am going to have to check this place out...they even have a location in Littleton, pretty close to me! Thanks for the tip.
Drake

[Pdiff]

Re: Pancetta

There is a place near Safeco Field that carries pink salt in 5 lb. containers, so I'll probably hit that up and see if I can convince friends to cure their own meats, also, so we can actually use it up.

That is a bit of PS, but at least it won't go bad :-)

What place is that, if I may ask? We get over Seattle way when we can (hopefully soon!) and I'd be curious to check it out. I'm able to pick up 50 lb bags of Tipo 00 flour down at Merlino Foods, in the industrial area near there.

Pdiff

[papavino]

Re: Pancetta

The place is called Emerald Market Supply.
Market Supply SuperMarket, C-Store, Restaurant & Home Supplies & Equipment

They are only open M-F, according to the guy at Sea Breeze.

Yeah, if all goes well with this first pancetta, I'm sure I'll use it all up eventually.

[BrianShaw]

Re: Pancetta

Yeah, if all goes well with this first pancetta, I'm sure I'll use it all up eventually.

How much cured meat are you planning on making? The amount of pink salt is quite small. If you buy 5 lbs you'll have enough for a long, long time of curing meat... unless you end up sprinkling some to thaw out the driveway when it gets icey.

[papavino]

Re: Pancetta

I plan on making as much as is necessary to use up 5 lbs.
I know that you only use a teaspoon or so of the stuff for each recipe, so I'll be making cured meat for a while.

[Pdiff]

Re: Pancetta

Thanks for the link. Maybe I should rethink this, though. Not sure I want my wife catching me eying the commercial mixers and proofers. Especially since they also sell a "Spinal Cord Remover"!

I'd agree with Brian here. We're usually talking teaspoons not cups of pink salt. Try a local butcher or someone who processes game for hunters. They will have access to it as they typically make a lot of sausage for their customers. I am able to get it through my butcher who sells it from a bulk container - however much you want, which for me is just a little baggies worth.

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[papavino]

Re: Pancetta

Here's the pancetta. I hung it yesterday. It's pretty salty. I'll need to scale back a bit on my next one. But if I soak and rinse three times before I use it, it should be alright. The basement smells like garlic now.

[Pdiff]

Re: Pancetta

Looks good! Not sure on the salty-ness. I typically cube or dice it for a recipe. If you do so, hold off on the recipie's salt and taste without. Probably in cooking apps, it is not as bad as you anticipate.

[BrianShaw]

Re: Pancetta

... hold off on the recipie's salt and taste without. Probably in cooking apps, it is not as bad as you anticipate.

I agree that it looks good!

These were my thoughts too. But now I have a question, "What non-cooking app does a Pancetta have?" I've never thought of eating Pancetta raw.

[papavino]

Re: Pancetta

I've never thought of eating Pancetta raw.

You can eat it raw. It's good on sandwiches.