Pancetta Tesa is pork belly or side that is salt cured.
This pancetta is kept flat. 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.
Lately I have been searching for local organic or hormone
free pork. I have been talking to local farmers that raise heritage breeds of
pigs. These are pigs that our grandparents got to eat but commercial pork
produces don’t raise these types anymore because they will not do well in
confined areas. These pigs are free roaming pigs they eat acorns, apples and
anything else off the land. The pork I used for this was a Berkshire Tamworth
mix. I encourage you to try some; you won’t find this at a local supermarket
The cure was made up of salt and I started using an Italian
sea salt from the salt pans of of the Trapani coast and cure #2 since I was
going to dry cure if fully. I also added
fresh garlic, black pepper, juniper berries, rosemary and thyme. The meat cured in this mixture for 7
days.
After 7 days it was cured and was pretty firm. I washed the cure off and dusted with black
pepper. I strung it up and placed it into the dry chamber at 55 degrees and 70%
humidity. I want to be able to eat it
raw like prosciutto or cook with it, so it needs to lose at least 30% of its
weight. In about a month or two I will update the site with its progress.
