ahakohda
Smoking Fanatic
I had a leftover belly piece and decided to try out this curing method I've seen on YT. I would advise to use cuts with no bones or cartilage. For esthetics and ease of cutting.
Pancetta
Prep Time: 10 minutes + 16 hr. rest
Cure Time: 5 - 6 weeks
Ingredients
1 cup fine table salt or fine sea salt
1 pork belly, 3 lbs
Spices: Paprika, hot chili flakes, black pepper – use 1, 2 or all 3 spices, to taste
Put pork belly in a container and completely cover it in salt, all around. Place in fridge for 16 hours.
Remove from fridge and wash off all the salt. Pat the belly dry with paper towel.
Sprinkle spices all around the pork belly.
Poke a small hole in one of the corners, leaving about 2 inches from the edge.
Run a string through the hole, enough to hang the pork belly, and then hang it in your cold room or in your fridge. Just make sure it hangs freely with nothing touching it. Optimal temperature range is 34F to 40F. Optimal humidity range is 65 – 75%.
Let hang anywhere from 5 – 6 weeks – when cured, it should be firm once you squeeze it.
