Guanciale recipe

Guanciale, a prized Italian cured meat made from pork jowl, has been a cornerstone of traditional Roman cuisine for centuries. This culinary treasure originated among the peasant families of central Italy, particularly in the regions of Lazio and Umbria, where families would preserve every part of the pig to sustain themselves through winter. The name "guanciale" comes from "guancia," the Italian word for cheek, reflecting its origin as a cut from the pig's jowl.

Most famously, guanciale is the authentic choice for classic pasta dishes like spaghetti alla carbonara. While many modern interpretations use pancetta or bacon, true Roman carbonara relies on the distinct richness that only guanciale can provide. The higher fat content and intense, complex flavor profile of guanciale, combined with pecorino romano cheese, creates the signature taste that has made carbonara one of Italy's most beloved dishes.

After frequently making pancetta, I was keen to try guanciale, an Italian cured meat made from pork cheek or jowl. It's used in many traditional recipes like carbonara and has a slightly stronger flavor than pancetta. Like pancetta, it's super simple to make at home and the fat gives a great depth of flavor to the dishes and sauces it is used in. Details on how to make pancetta can be found here: Pancetta recipe. I decided to cure it with the skin on, but you may prefer to remove it or ask the butcher to do so for you.

• 530 g pork cheek, skin on
• 1.3 Cure No 2
• 13 g Salt
• 5 g Black pepper
• 5 bay leaves, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• Mix all the salt cure ingredients and put in a zip lock freezer bag
• Add the pork cheek to the bag and make sure it is covered in the cure all over
• Leave this in the fridge for 7 days, turning it over every day (this is important)
• After 7 days take the cheek out of the bag and rinse it and pat dry
• Weigh the pork cheek and note this down
• Hang the pork cheek in the fridge for 3 weeks or until it drops about 30% of its weight