0 from 150 votes
Capicola Recipe
This is the baked version of traditional Italian dry-cured coppa and is super easy to make. Succulent, superbly seasoned and flavorful, this Capicola will take your Italian subs, sandwiches, pizza and snacking to a new level!
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
10 d 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 24
Calories: 79 kcal
Course:
Appetizer , Snacks
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- For the Curing Rub:
- 3 pounds pork coppa or pork loin (coppa is the traditional and preferred cut (we highly recommend it if you can get one from your butcher), see blog post for description)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon curing salt #1 (aka Prague powder) (this is essential for maintaining the pink color of the meat as opposed to brown/gray once it's cooked)
- For the Seasoning Rub (feel free to tweak according to preference):
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 3/4 teaspoons anise seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- You'll also need:
- size 24 meat netting
Instructions
- To make the cure, place the sea salt, sugar, red pepper flakes and pink curing salt in a coffee/spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle to grind them. (It is essential that the pink salt is evenly distributed in the rub.)Place the pork in a large bowl or on a work surface and massage the rub into the pork, making sure to get every nook and cranny.Wrap the pork tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 5 days. After 5 days flip it over so the bottom side is up and refrigerate it for another 5 days.
- After 10 days unwrap the meat. It will be firmer to the touch. Thoroughly rinse it under cold water to remove all the spices and set it aside while you prepare the final rub.To make the rub, place the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, anise seeds, red pepper flakes and black peppercorns in a coffee/spice grinder or use a mortal and pestle to grind the spices until you get a coarse rub. Lightly blot the pork with a paper towel.Spread the rub out onto a plate or work surface and roll the pork in it, coating all sides. Use up all the spice rub to coat the meat.Next you'll need a #24 netting roll. Cut a piece of netting off the roll that is a few inches longer than your capicola.Stretch the netting and feed the capicola through it (unless you have a ham-stuffing funnel, it's easiest to do this with two people).
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Fill a pan up with water and place it on the middle rack of the oven. This will create humidity as the pork cooks to keep it moist. Place the pork on a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack and place the pan on the top rack of the oven. Cook the capicola for 1 hour, then turn the capicola over so the bottom side is up and bake it for another hour or until the internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees F. Don't overcook or the meat will be dry.Be patient, it's not quite ready yet! Remove the capicola, place it on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours.
- At that point your homemade Italian capicola is ready to eat! Slice it thinly and enjoy it on your sandwiches, pizzas or eaten on its own! (For professional looking deli meat slices, use an electric meat slicer.) To store, keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 2 weeks.The sliced capicola can also be frozen for up to a couple of months.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Serving
60g
Calories
79kcal
(4%)
Carbohydrates
2g
(1%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
2g
(3%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Cholesterol
37mg
(12%)
Sodium
757mg
(32%)
Potassium
233mg
(7%)
Fiber
0.3g
(1%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
39IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
0.1mg
(0%)
Calcium
10mg
(1%)
Iron
0.4mg
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 24Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 79
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 60g | |
| Calories | 79kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 37mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 757mg | 32% |
| Potassium | 233mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 39IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 10mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.4mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.