This is a type of salumi which is generally thinly sliced and eaten as is. The method is the same as for lardo (cured pork fat) which has been made in Italy since Roman times. Traditionally, lardo was cured in Carrara marble boxes for six months. The method I used comes from CHARCUTERIE: THE CRAFT OF SALTING, SMOKING & CURING by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. Like all salumi, unless you have the luxury of a cool store, this is best made in winter when the meat can be hung at under 15ºC (59ºF).
First make a dry rub. Combine 225g (½lb) of fine sea salt, 115g (4 oz) of sugar and 28g (4 teaspoons) of curing salt – curing salt goes by different names so make sure you have one with 6.25% sodium nitrite. To this add 6 bay leaves, 2 bunches of fresh thyme and ¼ of a cup of black peppercorns. Sprinkle ¼ of this dry rub into a non-reactive baking pan and place the 1½kg (3½ lb) pork belly on top. Distribute the rest of the dry rub evenly over the pork. Cover the pork with plastic wrap as well as foil to keep the light out. Weigh the pork down with 5kg (10lbs) of weight and refrigerate for 10-12 days, redistributing the dry rub twice during this process. When the pork feels uniformly firm it is cured and needs to be hung to dry. Rinse the pork and pat it dry. Wrap it in cheesecloth and hang it in a cool, dark and humid (preferably 60 – 70%) place. The meat will shrink and harden as it dries. The book suggested 18-24 days but I hung mine for 2 months until I was happy with the feel of it. Serve it finely sliced as part of a charcuterie platter or try some great suggestions from the spruce eats – paper thin slices served with roasted almonds, olives, smoked salt and olive oil; draped over stuffed dates; or cooked with potatoes.
michelle picker cooks 