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[Bentley]

I am going to use boned Picnic shoulder instead of Belly. I found two 8lbs. picnics at Food Lion for $1.03/lb.  I will try and trim meat so that it is uniform for rolling.  I am debating using the Meat Goo jimsbarbeque gave me for that.  Thought it might make for an interesting roll.  Now to figure out which of the 18,431 Italian variations to pick? 

If anyone had cured one for Pancetta, either Belly or shoulder being used and found it to have wonderful flavor, please share your finding!   I am off to skin and bone the Picnic?

[Bentley]

The Picnic is still to frozen to bone, but I was able to get it skinned.

[Bentley]

Boned.  I also have it trimmed, Moo Glued & vac sealed for 24 hours, sorry forgot photos of that! The small pieces were put back into the main section and hopefully will bond and it will roll up nicely!

[Bentley]

This is after 2 days of vac seal and Meat Glue & then 4 days of curing spices.  The remaining curing rub is now applied and it is back in the fridge at 37° for 4 more days.  I have never seen a spice/cure turn pork that color.

[Zombini]

Can't wait to see the final product.

[Bentley]

This is after 4 more days of curing, a rinse and 3 days of air drying.

[Bentley]

The lowest I can get the fridge is 46°, so I am 9° lower then the recipe calls for.  Such is life when you don't have the proper equipment.  Thought I would see what the weight was.  I will now hang for 20 days and is supposed to be done by then.  I do these things, and then I realize, if I ever have had Pancetta, it was so long ago I don't remember, so I have no idea what it should taste like.  Hopefully, worst case scenario, it will be like very meaty Belly bacon!  Will see how much it weights in 20 days,

Again, please take note of how Professionally the Trussing looks!  It's like something out of a Food Magazine!

[02ebz06]

The trussing is a work of art.

[Bentley]

Wish I had rolled it fat side in!

[Bentley]

It is to finish curing on the 30th, but I was curious how it would taste and cook now.  Having no memory of every eating Pancetta, I have no idea if it is accurate on taste.  It is not bad, not quite as good a Belly Bacon, but at a dollar a pound, will go well in the Hoppin' John I am making this Friday!

[BigDave83]

I would eat it.

What spice/seasoning did you use?

Wonder if since using the meat glue cutting and arranging it in a way to get the fat more evenly distributed would be a good idea to try. You could cut it how you like then once you put the MG on it arrange it in to a loaf pan and weight it to press and hold.

[Bentley]

It had salt, sugar, cure, white pepper, garlic, mace, coriander, nutmeg and rosemary.

[BigDave83]

How are the flavors together? Not sure I have any mace. I may have to look for a shoulder and give it a try I think I have have some TG here to put it all together with.

[Bentley]

It is not a bad flavor.  I just don't do enough cooking with Pancetta to make it again.   It would go great in greens or beans, anything that requires bacon.  It is not as tasty as simple cured pork belly, but at 1/4 the cost right now, it is fine.  As silly as it sounds, there is to much meat using shoulder, but...I am done making Belly bacon until things get somewhat back to normal.  If this had been a buckboard, or even a simple cure, salt and sugar it would work just fine with eggs and toast for a couple of years!

[Bentley]

It does not have bad flavor, but the texture is not the same as belly bacon.  Much more meat in a rolled picnic then a belly.  It works well in beans or dished that like some pork.  It would do well in green beans or greens, or the like.  If I see them this cheap again, I will try a traditional bacon cure! Not sure it will make a good BLT, but will probably try one if we ever get a ripe tomato!