Pancetta

Pancetta(Italian:[panˈtʃetta]) is asalt-curedpork bellymeat product in a category known assalume. In Italy, it is often used to add depth to soups and pasta.
For cooking, pancetta is often cut into cubes (cubetti di pancetta).In Italy, it is commonly served as asliced meat, sliced thin and eaten raw. It can also be used incarbonara(althoughguancialeis generally regarded as more traditional).
The two basic types of pancetta arearrotolata('rolled') andstesa('flat'). Thearrotolata, salted, is mainly cut in thin slices and eaten raw as part ofantipastior simply as a component of a sandwich; thestesais used chopped as an ingredient in many recipes or cut in thick strips that are usually eaten grilled. There is also a version ofarrotolatato whichcoppais added in the center of the roll (pancetta coppata).
The rolled type is typical of northern Italy,while the flattened type is typical of central and southern Italy.
While most pancetta is salt-cured and dried,pancetta affumicatais salt-cured and smoked, similar tobacon.
Most pancetta products are made using pork belly brined in a mixture of salt,dextrose, spices and spice extracts,sodium erythorbate, garlic, sugar,sodium nitrate, and/orsodium nitrite.
The pork belly skin is removed before the pork is salted and held in a tub ofbrinefor 10–14 days in a low-temperature and high-humidity environment. The brine is usually composed of salt, nitrite,ascorbate, spices such asblack pepper,chilli, garlic,juniper, androsemary, and sometimes nitrate.
After salting and brining, the pork is rolled, with layers of fat on the outside surrounding a meaty core. The rolled pork is then tightly packed into nettings or other fibrous casings. Rolling produces the pancetta's distinctive shape, while the casing prevents case hardening in the latter stages of the production process.
Following rolling and packing, the pork undergoesenzymatic reactionsfacilitated by exposure to a warm environment of 22–24 °C for 24 to 36 hours. It is simultaneously exposed tocold smokesfor desirable colours and flavours and to prevent moulding.
Finally, the smoked pork is held at 12–14 °C and 72–75% relative humidity for 3–4 weeks fordrying. The resulting pancetta retains approximately 70% of its original weight.
Pancetta is preserved by curing.Curing is done using a spice and salt mixture containing nitrates or nitrites, which act to extend the shelf life of cured meats. Nitrates help remove excess moisture from the pork, decreasingwater activityand limiting available free water for the growth of spoilage-causing and pathogenic microorganisms. Sodium nitrites are used to prevent the growth ofbotulism-causing bacteriaandlisteria monocytogenes, as well as imparting desirable flavour and colour.Nitrates are said to act like time-released nitrites and are used in pancetta products that require longer periods of curing and drying.
Other constituents of the spice mixture also act to preserve the shelf life of pancetta—black pepper acts as anantibiotic, and sodium erythorbate is used as anantioxidant.
Pancetta kept in its original packaging can be stored for up to 12 months.After opening, it has a shelf life of around 2–3 weeks in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
One 30-g serving of pancetta contains around 5.0 g ofprotein, 11.0 g offat, and 20–25 mg ofcholesterol. One serving comprises between 15 and 22 percent of the accepted daily value of fats.Despite its high portion of daily fat value, pancetta has a lower fat content than other bacon products.
A single serving of pancetta contains around 540 mg of sodium.Consumption ofprocessed meatsis reported to be the second largest source of dietary sodium consumption, with bacon products leading processed pork products in sodium content.
Pancetta contains trace amounts ofcarbohydratesand nodietary fibre. These values can vary depending on processing, curing, and cooking methods.
In theEuropean Union, the labelling of pancetta is regulated under theprotected designation of origin(PDO) regime. Only pancetta produced in the Italian region ofCalabriamay be labelled aspancetta di Calabria.
In the United States, under theFood Safety and Inspection Serviceof theUSDA, hormones are not allowed in hogs or poultry raised for food. Pork or poultry sold in the US must be labelled as hormone-free and include a statement saying that federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.
Under Canadian regulations (C.R.C., Annex C.2), a cured meat product such as pancetta is an edible meat product prepared with salt with at least 100 ppm of sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate.
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