Guanciale: my new favorite pork product | FerrariChat
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Guanciale: my new favorite pork product

Discussion in 'Drink, Smoke, and Fine Dining' started by Nurburgringer, Aug 26, 2011.

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  1. Nurburgringer

    Nurburgringer F1 World Champ

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    #1 Nurburgringer, Aug 26, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    About a month ago while my dad was visiting from NJ we went to Il Ritrovo, a superb Italian restaurant in Sheboygan. In their little italian food market I noticed a 2lb package of Guanciale, described as "cured pork cheeks". I'd never heard of this, but being a huge pork fan (head meat included) decided is was worth $12 to try out.
    Oh. My. God.
    Last Sunday I put ~6 oz in some scrambled eggs (dice thick, render fat and slightly crisp in a hot pan), then Monday used the rest of one cheek in a big batch of spaghetti alla carbonara.
    If you enjoy bacon or panchetta you MUST get your hands on some Guanciale. It's somehow richer, porkier and pleasantly funkier than any pancetta I've ever had.
    If you can't find any near you, this local place may be able to send some out: http://www.bolzanomeats.com/
    I plan on using the other cheek for pasta all’ Amatriciana and coq au vin.
    Anybody else familiar with this magical stuff?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/dining/16ital.html
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  2. powerpig

    powerpig F1 World Champ

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    #2 powerpig, Aug 26, 2011
    I buy pork cheek at the local international mart and smoke it. Also, works great in red beans and rice.
     
  3. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 wax, Aug 26, 2011
    Normally, I wouldn't be enticed by a food starting with "Guan-", but that's got to be some holy grail stuff.
     
  4. Nurburgringer

    Nurburgringer F1 World Champ

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    #4 Nurburgringer, Aug 27, 2011
    How long? I've had good results smoking pork belly around 3-4 hours; cheeks about the same, maybe less?
    I was thinking of making cuban black beans if there's any left from my this batch, red beans would also be nice I imagine.
    Give yours a try with eggs if you haven't done so.

    That it is.... definitely try to find some, you'll be hooked.
     
  5. Nurburgringer

    Nurburgringer F1 World Champ

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    #5 Nurburgringer, Aug 28, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Here's the carbonara we made last week. My good buddy Stelvio from northern Italy gave me some **** on Facebook for putting salad and bread on the plate (said if any restaurant in Rome did that he'd make sure they got shut down - though the pasta looked good and he was surprised I could find guanciale in the US).
    He also said "As the story goes, Carbonara is a fairly modern recipe, invented after WWII, using the content of food supply boxes of US troops (we call it "razione K"), which included egg powder and ... bacon."
    I just don't want to believe this. Would be like claiming that the first Ferrari was based on a Willy's Jeep...
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  6. Detailers Paradise

    Detailers Paradise Formula Junior

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    #6 Detailers Paradise, Sep 8, 2011
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2011
    I found a place in Denver that makes it. Il Mondo Vechio.

    I fried some up and it was like eating fatty bacon, or meat fries. Mmmmm, sooooo gooood.

    I then used the grease to flavor an omelet. Best....eggs....EVER.

    Guanciale is spiced and cured, not smoked, although you may have been talking about smoking the jowls and not making guanciale.
     

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