Fifty shades of... bacon!

But yes, let's take inspiration from a best seller and give it a gourmet touch. That said: how many types of pancetta are there on the market? If we also look among our products, we see that this type of cured meat can be packaged and thought of in various ways. Many times it is part of the tradition of a place that, as you know, especially in Italy, means a lot. Every town, in fact, produces "the best cured meat in the world" and this rivalry has written the history of typical Italian productions. In any case, pancettas come in different shapes because the results that one wishes to achieve are different, and the starting meats are also different.

Pancetta: starting from the belly

Initially, all pancettas are the same from a shape perspective. Normally laid flat, they come from the underside of the pig, the belly. In some cases, the skin is kept, while in many others it is removed. It is cut into chunks, squared and trimmed to eliminate the less valuable parts of the fat. At this point, the most important goal is the preservation of the meat and the elimination of the amount of water that can be dangerous for the growth of harmful microorganisms.

All the chunks are therefore salted with sea salt and in many cases, spices and aromatic herbs are also added. In some cases, the chunks are also left to smoke in natural environments with smoke from olive twigs or other non-resinous woods.

Pancetta: rolled, flat, smoked

Finally, the shape is decided. It is rolled if the chunks are skinless and the thickness, therefore, is not very wide. It is left flat in the presence of skin and, in this case, it can be stuffed or hung free. In rolling, spices are usually added in the middle that enhance the flavor. Normally, flat or stuffed ones are drier as dehydration penetrates more deeply into the heart of the meat, which does not happen with rolled pancettas. In any case, it is a matter of tradition.

Rolled ones are better for stuffing sandwiches (here you can find bread) and for being sliced with a slicer or knife. The flat ones are more gastronomic and are usually sliced with a knife and used also for the production of cubes for special sauces. There are also cooked and stewed pancettas, although, in this case, it is a gourmet choice of recent years.

In short, to understand the difference, one must try them. Above all, one must understand from which animals they come. For heavy pigs, a flat and stuffed pancetta is worthwhile, for light pigs, better the rolled pancetta. Flavors, scents, and aromas change significantly! On rustic bread, a slice of flat or stuffed pancetta cut with a knife is better, while on a sandwich or a roll, a thin slice of rolled pancetta is better.

The beauty of the diversity of Italian food also passes through its forms and its interpretative history, and nothing like pancetta is the final result.

Bernardo Pasquali