Update for Day Three, Four and Five:

It is the morning of Day Three time to check in on our progress with our ‘house-cured’ pancetta project. After unwrapping the sheet pan, notice additional moisture released overnight.  It measures out to be approx. ½ cup of water today, confirming that our curing process is fully underway and looking to shape up well.  I do see more of the curing salt mix remaining in place on the pancetta today, so this will be a little quicker clean up and prep before going back into the refrigerator.

Day three - ready for curing salt mix

Just as I mentioned in the previous blog, I will continue the same process with the pancetta:

Remove the pork belly for the sheet pan and place in on a bed of paper towels.  I do this to absorb the moisture that remains on the pork belly.  I am cautious not to remove the curing salt, only absorb the excess water.  I then transfer to clean pan and repeat the process of applying curing salt to both the skin and meat side.  Remember to place the skin side down when placing back on the sheet pan.  Final step for today, apply a good covering of plastic wrap and then back into the refrigerator.

Day four and day five pass rather uneventful.  For both days checking in on the pancetta process I find no excess moisture in the bottom of the sheet pan.  This is telling me that we have fully achieved the osmosis process with the pork belly.  The curing salt mix is slightly damp; this can be attributed to both the final stages of the curing process and storage in the refrigerator itself.  On Day four and Day five, I repeat the ritual process as outlined above with the pancetta.

I do now see and feel a change in the texture of the pork belly.  The outside of the pork belly itself has developed a ‘skin’ to the outer layer.  In addition the pork belly has a firmer texture, not nearly as pliable when it was a raw, surely it taking on the proper form of pancetta.  It looks as if this process will take the full seven days to cure to proper texture I’m looking for and as I have learned from previous better to be safe than sorry.  If I stop the cure too soon, I will have to make adjustments during the aging time frame and that will effect the quality of the final product.

Almost there, a couple more days before rinsing and hanging to cure.

Ciao!

Michael