Homemade Guanciale
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
4 hrs
-
Cook Time
41 d 20 hrs
-
Total Time
42 d
-
Servings
10 servings
-
Calories
272 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Italian
Homemade Guanciale
Description
The process for Homemade Guanciale starts with a trimmed hog jowl, which is weighed to correctly calculate curing salt amounts based on its weight. The curing mixture combines fine sea salt, pink curing salt (Prague powder #2), minced garlic, coarsely ground black pepper, dried rosemary, and sage. This mixture is thoroughly rubbed into the surface of the jowl to coat all sides evenly.
The pork is then sealed in a plastic bag to keep the cure closely in contact with the meat, refrigerated in a baking dish for one week. The bag is turned daily with gentle massaging to redistribute the cure and ensure uniform curing. Precise adherence to salt quantities and hygiene, such as wearing gloves and controlling cure temperatures, is emphasized to ensure safe preservation and optimal flavor extraction.
At the end of the cure period, the guanciale can be further processed by rinsing, drying, and aging as desired. Guanciale is prized for its delicate balance of fat and meat flavor, enhanced by the aromatic herbs and spices in this curing blend. This preparation is foundational in many Italian dishes such as pasta sauces, providing a distinctive depth and texture.
Ingredients
- 1 hog jowl glands removed, trimmed of excess fat and meat (have the butcher do this for you!); about 2.2 pounds (1 kg) after trimming, good quality
- About 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/4 teaspoons salt fine sea salt
- About 1 cant teaspoon pink curing salt such as Prague powder #2
- 3 garlic minced, cloves
- 4 tablespoons black pepper coarsely ground
- 1 teaspoon rosemary dried crushed
- 1 teaspoon sage dried crushed
- 1 1/2 cups white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, dry
Instructions
- Wear clean gloves while handling the pork.* Pat the trimmed jowl completely dry and place it on a cutting board.
- You’ll want to measure the amount of salt you use. It will be approximately 1 tablespoon of both sea and pink salt but the precise amounts for curing depend on the exact weight of the jowl. You want the weight of the sea salt to be 3 percent the weight of the trimmed meat. And you want the weight of the pink salt to be 0.25 percent the weight of the trimmed meat.
- In a bowl, combine the sea salt, pink salt, garlic, pepper, rosemary, and sage and mix well. Sprinkle the cure all over the meat and rub it in well to coat all sides.
- Place the pork in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Scoop up any stray rub and add it to the bag. Squeeze out the air and seal. Place the bag in a baking dish and refrigerate for 1 week. Turn the bag once a day and give the pork a little massage through the plastic each time you turn it.
- After 1 week, remove the sealed bag from the baking dish. Pour the wine into the baking dish. Wearing gloves, remove the pork jowl from the bag and use your (gloved) fingers to brush off as much brine as you can. Immerse the pork in the wine to dislodge more brine; then transfer it to a clean cutting board.
- Use a sharp paring knife to cut a hole in one corner of the jowl about 1 inch from the edge. Thread a length of kitchen twine through the hole and knot it where it meets the pork. Tie the ends together tightly to create a long loop for hanging. Alternatively, if you have a sterilized meat hook, this can be used in place of the twine.
- Weigh the meat and note the weight. If using a meat hook, note the weight of it as well.
- If you have a curing space, hang the guanciale in in it. This is ideally a dark space that’s 41 to 43°F (5 to 6°C). Weigh the guanciale every 7 to 10 days until it’s lost 20 to 30 percent of its weight, which could take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks.If you don’t have a separate curing space, place the guanciale on a rack set inside a shallow pan in the refrigerator and let it cure, uncovered, until it’s lost 20 to 30 percent of its weight, which could take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks. Turn the guanciale over every few days to ensure that all sides are exposed to air.☞ TESTER TIP: You can slow the drying process and allow even more flavor to develop by placing a container of a simple saltwater brine beneath the meat.
- To store the guanciale, cut it into 4- or 8-ounce (113- or 227-g) pieces and vacuum-seal it or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and seal in a resealable plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to several months. Once opened, store the guanciale in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Measure salt precisely: sea salt should be 3% and pink curing salt 0.25% of the meat weight for safety.
- Wear clean gloves when handling pork and cure ingredients to maintain hygiene.
- Keep the curing pork refrigerated and turn it daily, massaging through the plastic to ensure even cure distribution.
- Maintain appropriate curing environment temperature to ensure safe and effective preservation.
- After curing, guanciale can be rinsed, dried, and aged according to preference.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 272 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1portion | |
| Calories | 272kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 0.04g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 1084mg | 45% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 0.4g | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
