Guanciale -From package to Cure

When I stopped by the PFM to meet up with Morgan Brownlow, proprieter of Tails and Trotters, to pick up a special ordered Coppa, he surprised me with what can only be called "Vacuum Sealed Love".

So here you go... 5 pounds of Hazlenut finished Pork Jowls.   Looking at the size of these things, that Pig had to have had a big head ( but I'm sure he was still a nice guy ).






I opened the package, and put these bad boys skin side down so I could look for ( and remove ) and of the salivary glands that may still be in there.  ( I love me some pork.. but I can do without eating their spitmakers)

As you can see, these jowls were pretty clean and I only had to cut out  a few of them ( they're small little discs that don't quite look like meat, and don't quite look like fat ).

So there they  are.. ready for "the cure". 

I'm again using a modified recipe and Salt Box method ( see Spicy Coppa Entry for more details ).

Basically, make sure it's covered well in cure, and add spices you like.

Recipe:

5lbs of Hazlenut finished Pork Jowl ( berkshire pig )

~3/4 cup of kosher salt

~2tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cure #2 ( as an amateur that doesn't want to make anyone sick.. this is a must )

~4tbsp diced, chopped fresh rosemary

~2tbsp diced, chopped fresh thyme

1tbsp black pepper

1tbsp red pepper flakes

And there you are.   I put these bad boys in a shallow baking pan, covered with plastic wrap then foil to protect from light ( not sure why, since the fridge light goes out when I close it ), but that's what Ruhlman said to do.

These beautys will sit in the cure for about 12-14 days, then I'll give them a light rinse and at that point can either smoke them and eat them as Jowl bacon, or hang them for 18-24 days and eat them as Guanciale - sliced thin and eaten raw, or added to cooked dishes.   I think I'll probably do one of each.

Stay tuned.. I think this is going to turn out great.

Cheers.