What is Guanciale? It is pronounced "Gwan-Chee-All-A" and is cured pork jowl. The jowl of the hog is one of the most sought after cuts due to the richness and fattiness of the muscle. Once it is salted, cured, and dried, it becomes an incredible ingredient with amazing umami flavor that is used in Italian cuisine. Chances are that you haven't even heard of this delicacy, but trust me, you need to know all about it!
The closest thing to Guanciale is probably Pancetta, but there is a very distinct difference between the two products. Guanciale has both a richer flavor profile as well as a softer texture than its cousin Pancetta. If you like Pancetta, you are going to love guanciale.
It is a specialty of Central Italy, specifically the regions of Umbria and Lazzio. It is traditionally made by rubbing the jowls with sea salt, ground black pepper, herbs, spices, and some form of sodium nitrate. We make ours with a proprietary blend of sea salt, sugar, ground black pepper and cultured celery juice powder. We find that by adding herbs and spices that it actually hinders the rich, fatty, unctuous and porky flavor that we are seeking with the cured jowl. It is cured under refrigeration for ten days, rinsed, and then hung in our climate controlled drying rooms for approximately 3 months. Once it has lost 30% of its original weight and reaches the water activity that we are looking for, we vacuum seal it and it has a shelf life refrigerated for up to one year.
The two most common uses for Guanciale are to dice it and cook it down to start two different pasta sauces, Carbonara and Amatriciana. Pasta alla Amatriciana has only a few ingredients, guanciale, pecorino cheese, white wine, San Marzano tomatoes, and chili pepper flakes. Carbonara contains only guanciale, pecorino cheese, pasta water and egg. At our new il porcellino pasta dinner concept available in the evenings at our Tennyson Street location, we make it slightly differently. We render down the guanciale, then add a pecorino broth, a touch of cream, fresh peas, house made Casarecce pasta, a soft poached egg and some crispy pork belly on top of the dish. Stop by and give it a try, I think that you will absolutely love it!!!
What is Guanciale? It is pronounced "Gwan-Chee-All-A" and is cured pork jowl
pork jowl
Pork jowl is a cut of pork from a pig's cheek. Different food traditions have used it as a fresh cut or as a cured pork product (with smoke and/or curing salt). As a cured and smoked meat in America it is called jowl bacon or, especially in the Southern United States, hog jowl, joe bacon or joe meat.
. The jowl of the hog is one of the most sought after cuts due to the richness and fattiness of the muscle. Once it is salted, cured, and dried, it becomes an incredible ingredient with amazing umami flavor that is used in Italian cuisine.
Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. There's no need for extra oil as guanciale will release its own fat when heated. Add the sliced guanciale to the hot pan and cook until it turns crispy and golden brown, stirring occasionally. This should take about 6-8 minutes.
Guanciale has a particular affinity with fish, various legumes, and dark green vegetables. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the importation of guanciale and other cured meats from Italy from the 1970s until 2013, concerned that they might carry swine vesicular disease.
A good substitute for guanciale in a carbonara sauce is pancetta. Pancetta is an Italian cured pork belly that has a similar flavor and texture to guanciale. If you can't find pancetta, you can also use bacon as an alternative, although it has a slightly different smoky flavor.
Guanciale can be eaten raw by cutting them into thin slices. Moreover, they can be cut into cubes or triangles (depending on the shape) and cooked in a frying pan for eating. Still, guanciale is mainly used differently than bacon. Rather than a stand-alone meat dish, guanciale is used as an ingredient in other dishes.
It is then dried and aged for 3+ months, giving it the rich, iconic flavor of cured meat. Guanciale is almost exclusively used in cooking. Unlike bacon, it is never eaten on its own. Guanciale is a staple in Italian carbonara and amatriciana but can be added to almost any pasta dish.
Cool it: Pop your wrapped guanciale in the fridge, somewhere between 32-40°F (0-4°C). If you have a meat or deli drawer, that's the spot to use. Use it soon: Even though guanciale is a cured product, it tastes best if you use it within a few weeks after opening. The fresher the better!
In terms of cooking with guanciale, also called pork cheek or jowl, has a lot of similarities to bacon, which means you can substitute it in many recipes that call for those ingredients; it's no surprise it surfaces a lot in pasta dishes.
Firstly, guanciale is made from the jowl or cheek of the pig, which is a relatively small cut of meat compared to the belly, which is used to make bacon. This means less guanciale is available per pig, which can drive up the price. Secondly, the curing process for guanciale is quite complex and time-consuming.
Pancetta, on the other hand, is made from the belly, and while it does have a similar smoky flavor, it just doesn't have that rich and fatty flavor that guanciale provides. And let's be honest, who wants a dry carbonara?
One of the main reasons is that this cut of meat was not able to be imported from Europe for quite some time due to a ban put in place by the FDA, meaning that finding it in the States would prove to be much more difficult than finding it in Italy (via LivItaly Tours).
Cut the rind off; you can save these for later to flavor stocks and soups. Once the rind is off, and the guanciale is in strips, you can use them just like that or slice them even further. If you wish, slice them into smaller strips crosswise, around one centimeter thick.
What Does Guanciale Taste Like? Guanciale is salty, with a lot of richness from the fat, as well as distinct meatiness. If you like bacon, you're likely to also enjoy guanciale, though it is saltier than bacon. Unlike bacon, guanciale isn't typically smoked.
In a large nonstick skillet, cook the guanciale over moderately low heat, stirring, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente.
Guanciale (Italian: [ɡwanˈtʃaːle]) is an Italian salt-cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, 'cheek'. Its rendered fat gives flavour to and thickens the sauce of pasta dishes.
The whole guanciale is the best way to preserve the product in the refrigerator. Just slice what you need and wrap back the rest in paper and return to the refrigerator.
Guanciale is typically a lot fattier than Panchetta or traditional unsmoked bacon; this gives it great versatility in the kitchen. From the start, you'll need to render out the fat. It's actually quite simple; add the Guanciale into the pan with a touch of olive oil while it's heating up on medium heat.
While guanciale, which can be cured with everything from black pepper to spices, is traditionally unsmoked, smoked versions are popular nowadays in Rome.
Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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