Homemade Pancetta

Name: Homemade Pancetta
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: Pork belly 5 lb; Charcuterie Large Dry Bags; Premixed Curing Salt Blend; Garlic, minced 4 cloves; Dark brown sugar 2 tbsp; Black pepper, coarsely ground 4 tbsp; Juniper berries, crushed 2 tbsp; Bay leaves, crumbled 4; Nutmeg, freshly grated 1 tsp; Fresh thyme 4 or 5 sprigs; #2 Curing Salt (0.25% of meat weight); Kosher salt (3% of meat weight)

January 17, 2012 UMAI Dry

Homemade Pancetta

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UMAi Dry

This traditional pork belly preparation can be made either as a slab (stesa) or roll (arrotolata), as you prefer.

Ingredients

Meat

Pork belly 5 lb

UMAI Dry

Charcuterie Large Dry Bags
Premixed Curing Salt Blend

Make your own spice blend

Garlic, minced 4 cloves
Dark brown sugar 2 tbsp
Black pepper, coarsely ground 4 tbsp
Juniper berries, crushed 2 tbsp
Bay leaves, crumbled 4
Nutmeg, freshly grated 1 tsp
Fresh thyme 4 or 5 sprigs
#2 Curing Salt (0.25% of meat weight)
Kosher salt (3% of meat weight)

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Directions

STEP 1: CURE MEAT

Trim meat, shape and tie to desired finished product.
If not using UMAi Dry’s Premixed Curing Salts Blend, weigh out correct ratio of #2 Curing Salt and Kosher salt
Mix salts and seasonings Rub into entire surface of meat.
Tuck into zipper bag or vacuum seal to cure in fridge for 14 days. Turn every couple days to maintain even coverage of cure over the entire surface of the meat.

STEP 2: PREPARE TO DRY

Make sure meat surface is sticky-moist to create best bond with UMAi Dry® membrane.
Coat with any dry curing coating spices and tie to shape - Massage into surface to create the sticky coating needed to bond with membrane. - If making rolled pancetta, roll and tie. Re-moisten surface with water to assist meat to membrane bond

STEP 3: SEALING UMAI DRY

Choose your sealing method, check out our basics page for in-depth instructions

STEP 4: DRYING

Take start weight and record target finish weight. Record both weights on the stickers provided.
Rest the sealed meat in refrigerator on open wire rack in in a modern frost free fridge to ensure excellent air circulation to entire meat surface.
Drying time depends on meat size. Meat should lose 35-40% of weight over 30-120 days.

STEP 5: EQUALIZING, STORING & SLICING (UMAI!)

Upon reaching target weight, peel away UMAi Dry. Wipe off any white mold with wine vinegar. Meat will be firm, dry and pleasantly aromatic.
Vacuum seal in storage bag for a week to equalize the moisture edge-to-edge.
Preserve texture and quality by refrigerating or freezing in vacuum storage bag.
Slice paper thin—and enjoy! Meat will be translucent and deeply colored.