Guanciale (Italian: [ɡwanˈtʃaːle]) is an Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, the Italian word for ‘cheek’.
Guanciale. Jowl bacon. Pig candy. I can’t remember the first time I had this magnificent pork product from Italy, but it was probably in some pasta carbonara I had back home in New Jersey; carbonara should, traditionally, be made with guanciale, not bacon. Ditto for spaghetti all’amatricana.
I’ve made guanciale many times, and I’ve referred to it on this blog for more than 15 years, so here’s my guanciale recipe.
Why bother making guanciale when you can make regular belly bacon? Because jowls work harder. They did an awful lot of chewing when Mr. Piggy was alive and any muscle that works hard tastes better, in this case, porkier. Guanciale, especially long-cured guanciale, will have a stronger, more pronounced flavor, than regular pancetta or bacon.
Guanciale, as with most cured meats, requires time to be really good. I started by curing mine for only 3 to 4 weeks, but now I prefer 12 to 16 weeks. The depth of flavor in a longer-cured guanciale is markedly better than one cured for a shorter period. You could go longer than 16 weeks, if you’d like.
Keys to making guanciale are salt, humidity and time. I also use Instacure No. 2, which has nitrates and nitrites, for added safety; you can buy Instacure online from Butcher & Packer. If you have a thing against using them, skip it.
Guanciale vs. Bacon
Though these two meats can be swapped for the other, they come from different parts of the pig. Guanciale is cut from the cheek and bacon comes from the back, belly, and side of the animal. Because theres less available meat per animal, its a more expensive cut of meat. Its also not as easy to find as bacon. The fat on guanciale also proves more refined, with less gristle, something that gives it a velvety texture, which is better for eating on a charcuterie board. The biggest difference between these two cuts, however, is the lack of smoke in guanciale, as bacon is traditionally smoked.
Make GUANCIALE At Home Cured Pork Cheek ‘Bacon’
FAQ
What kind of meat is pork cheek?
Is pork cheek like bacon?
Are pig cheeks good to eat?
Why is guanciale banned?
How is pork cheek cured?
Pork cheek is rubbed with salt and spices (typically ground black or red pepper, thyme or fennel, and sometimes garlic) and cured for three weeks or until it loses approximately 30% of its original weight. Its flavour is stronger than other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate.
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Porokeratosis is a skin disorder where there are small round bumpy patches that appear on the skin. It is caused due to weakened immune systems, genetic defects, burns, skin infections, ultraviolet rays, and autoimmune diseases. The treatment for this is laser therapy, dermabrasion, cryotherapy, and electrodesiccation. In cryotherapy, extreme coldness is used to destroy abnormal skin cells. Usually, porokeratosis does not require any treatment. But constant monitoring is done to avoid any cancerous changes.
What is cured pork jowl?
Learn how to make cured Italian-style pork jowl that can be used in a variety of dishes, including pasta carbonara, to add a delicious depth of flavor. Guanciale (pronounced gwan-CHAH-leh) means pillow in Italian. It also means amazingly-cured pork cheek or jowl.
What is cured Italian pork belly?
Think garlic-heavy mirepoix and pasta sauces with plenty of tomato-flavor. This cured Italian pork belly product has a distinct savory quality unlike either the smokiness of American bacon or the funky punch of guanciale. It’s also saltier and more heavily cured than American bacon. Pancetta comes in two forms: arrotolata and tesa.