Autumn is here, time for Pancetta

I remembered why this blog has been empty for a while .. hanging bits of meat up during the summer months isn't a good thing. Your careful craftwork finds itself getting eaten by bacteria before your meat can dry sufficiently and by bugs looking for a feast. So, back into the swing of things (ie hanging up bits of pork around the flat). Pancetta is one of my favourites, a cured and partially dried chunk of belly pork.

On Friday I purchased a piece of this stuff from the trusty Scotch Meats butcher in West Dulwich, and got to work. It weighed 1.4kg at the start but came down to 900g after removing the ribs and trimming it square and to a even thickness. (The rest went in a stew).

First stage:
900g belly pork
35g salt
15g sugar
1 level tsp hickory smoke powder (optional)

Rub the salt, sugar and smoke powder firmly into the pork, put it into tupperware and leave in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Second stage:
Ground black pepper
Ground nutmeg
Salt

Rinse the salt, sugar and smoke powder from the first stage and pat dry. Sprinkle a little salt, nutmeg and a generous amount of black pepper on the meat side. Carefully roll the meat and tie tightly with good string. Lightly sprinkle any exposed bits of meat with salt, and hang it in a cool place for 2-4 weeks.

Stage 3
Eat. Slice and fry in place of bacon or dice and use in sauces. You'll find it a little saltier and a damn side tastier than anything from the supermarket.