pancetta

Pancetta is a type of Italian cured meat made from pork belly. It is prepared by rubbing the belly with salt, sugar, and a blend of spices such as pepper, fennel, and bay leaf, and then air-drying for several weeks to months. Unlike most American bacon, traditional pancetta is typically not smoked, though some commercial versions may be lightly smoked. It is sold in two main forms: pancetta tesa, a flat slab, and pancetta arrotolata, a rolled joint tied into a log.

During curing, pancetta develops a rich, savory flavor with a fat that becomes smooth and pliable. The texture ranges from firm to slightly chewy, depending on aging. It is used in a variety of dishes to flavor sauces, soups, vegetables, and risottos, and can be sliced thin for antipasti or diced and sautéed as a base for soffritto. In many recipes, pancetta is rendered to provide fat and depth; it is also used as a substitute for other cured pork products in places where its milder, unsmoked profile is desired.

Pancetta differs from bacon primarily in the curing and smoking process. Both are made from pork belly, but pancetta is dry-cured and usually not smoked, while bacon is brined and typically smoked. Regional Italian styles vary in spice blends and aging times, and outside Italy, pancetta is available in unsmoked or smoked forms and is commonly used to add flavor to a wide range of dishes.