Description
A traditional Italian recipe for making guanciale using pork jowl, resulting in rich, flavorful meat perfect for pasta dishes or eaten on its own.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds pork jowl
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup pork fat (or lard)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the salt, black pepper, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
- Rub this mixture all over the pork jowl, ensuring it’s well covered.
- Wrap the pork in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 7 days, turning it every couple of days.
- After curing, rinse the pork jowl under cold water and pat dry.
- In a heavy pot, melt the pork fat over low heat.
- Add the pork jowl to the pot, ensuring it is completely submerged in fat.
- Cook gently in the fat for about 8-10 hours until tender.
- Remove the jowl from the fat and let cool before storing.
Notes
- Store the confit in the fat in the refrigerator for up to a month.
- This pork jowl can be used in various dishes or eaten on its own as a delicacy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Meat
- Method: Confit
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 ounces
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg