panceta

Panceta is a term used in several Romance-language culinary traditions to refer to pork belly prepared for cooking. In Italian cuisine, pancetta is a cured meat made from the pork belly, typically salt-cured with pepper and other seasonings such as garlic or herbs, and often rolled into a cylinder and tied. It is usually not smoked, although some regional variants are lightly smoked. The product can be sold as flat slabs or as a rolled log (pancetta arrotolata) that is sliced or cubed for use.

Panceta can be categorized into fresh pork belly and cured pancetta. Fresh pancetta is raw pork belly intended for roasting or braising, while cured pancetta undergoes a salting and aging process. In other Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions, the term panceta commonly refers to salted pork belly used as an accessible source of fat and flavor, and it may be sold as slabs or slices for cooking.

Culinary uses center on flavor and fat. When heated, panceta renders fat that acts as a cooking base for sauces, soups, stews, and sautés. It is widely used as an ingredient in Italian dishes such as pasta sauces, risottos, and braises, and in other cuisines it can substitute for bacon to provide savory depth.

Storage and nutrition: panceta is high in fat and salt. Cured pancetta should be refrigerated and used within a few weeks of purchase or opening; it can be frozen for longer storage. As with other cured meats, portioning and proper handling are important to maintain quality and safety.