Pancetta Arrotolata

Pancetta Arrotolata or rolled pancetta is pork belly meat that is salt cured. Pancetta can be rolled or straight. It is cubed for rendering or adding directly to dishes for flavor and richness, sliced thin for serving on its own, or cut in lardons.

I followed a recipe from Mike Rulman’s .  The cure was sugar, salt and cure #2 since I was going to dry cure if fully.  I also added fresh garlic, black pepper, juniper berries, brown sugar and thyme.  The meat cured in this mixture for 7 days. 

After 7 days it was cured and pretty firm.  I trimmed some of the fat off but should have trimmed more.  I washed the cure off and dusted with black pepper. I rolled it up and tied it.  Once tied it was ready to hang until it lost 30%.  Pancetta doesn’t have to dry long at all. It depends on how you want to eat it and how deep flavor you want. I wanted to be able to eat it raw like salami or cook with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After about a month and a half it wasn’t drying very fast, probably because of all the fat. So after about 15% weight loss I pulled it. I used to cook with it. It was great cubed up in a frittata.  Next time I will use a leaner piece. This belly came from a local organic farm. The pig breed is a large black, it’s a heritage breed and is not your normal commercial pork.  

Also the author suggested to use Italian sea salt. They suggest using sosalt sea salt. Its comes from the ancient saltpans of Trapani and marsala where crystal water together with the strength of the wind and sun creates a unique salt. They visited a number of salami makers who all swear by it. I ordered it and you can taste the difference its less salter.