The Salt Cure

 
Bruce and I have begun the journey in earnest this past weekend  and after a little discussion , we decided to move forward with the pancetta and duck breast prosciutto.  We picked up a small slab of pork belly form a local butcher in town to begin our first experiment, and after a little digging managed to get our hands on the spices and more importantly the curing salt to get the pancetta under way.  

Bruce trimmed up the meat as I  prepared the the herbs, spices and salt for the cure.  Although the scale is microscopic compared to what many families do here and back in the "old" country, I was quickly transported back to my grandfathers home  in fall and winter, with the smell of salt, pepper and pork being prepared for future festivities.

After blending the spices we covered the meat on all sides and found a bag big enough to get the initial curing process started.  The salts quickly began to do their work turning the meat a gray colour within 30 minutes and then to a pink the following day.  I am curious to see how others cures are progressing.

Although traditional pancetta is rolled, we are thinking that we will make this one flat.  Since its quite small, it might be a little tough to get rolled tightly enough to keep air out of the centre preventing spoilage.

A local butcher also gave us some tight netting to use to wrap the pancetta. Has anyone used one of these nets to make pancetta? Although I remember my grandfather using them when making salami and other dried meats, I don't recall him using them on pancettas.

After talking to Bruce this evening, it sounds like things are progressing well... great aroma and the meet is curing well.  The next trick will be to dry it properly.   

I am looking forward to using this pancetta in a good old spaghetti carbonarra in the coming months!