When I went to my butcher Sunday, I expected them to be breaking down pigs. I was disappointed. I had gone to buy pastured pork for the Peimonte salami I've been wanting to do, and with the Finocchiona finished drying it was time to make it. Well, they had fresh pork in the back....pigs were butchered 2 days prior so I bought what they had. When I got home, I realized I was short about 1.5 kilos of meat. I had looked at the shoulder roast in the meat case quickly and saw "7.5" and assumed that was pounds. That was the price per pound. Had to postpone making salami Sunday. Went back Monday morning bright and early for what I needed. They were breaking down pigs when I arrived at the butcher shop. I got the extra meat I needed and in talking to the employee, I learned that they had fresh pig heads on hand. AWESOME!!! I walked out of the butcher shop with 2 pig heads too. I had not planned on this, but it will work out. The Sopressata di Calabria will be finished by the time the guanciale is done curing in the fridge. I'm refilling the curing chamber fast as I pull product out playing catch up!! LOL!!
They lucky pig heads...
The guanciale in ziplock bags to cure for 10 days...
I got 6.87# of pork cheeks off those 2 heads. I trimmed out the jaw meat and that went in with the Ventricina Teramana. It would be rude of me to tell y'all what I paid for those heads....but I got a hell of a deal and they were super fresh!
They lucky pig heads...
The guanciale in ziplock bags to cure for 10 days...
I got 6.87# of pork cheeks off those 2 heads. I trimmed out the jaw meat and that went in with the Ventricina Teramana. It would be rude of me to tell y'all what I paid for those heads....but I got a hell of a deal and they were super fresh!