Pancetta

Name: Pancetta — Italian cured pork belly, salt-cured with pepper and spices, but not smoked, and either rolled (arrotolata) or flat (stesa). It is similar to bacon, but is air-dried, not smoked, and used to flavour pasta dishes, soups and sauces.

Description

Pancetta (from pancia, meaning belly) is a staple of Italian cooking, used in carbonara, amatriciana, ragù, and stews, to give depth of flavour. It is cured for about three weeks with salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic and other spices, then dried.

It can be sliced thinly and eaten raw, like prosciutto, if it has been dried for long enough, or cooked, diced or sliced, in a pan, where it renders its fat and becomes crisp.

Main nutrition value

Processed meats provide protein, but they are typically high in salt and saturated fat, and cured products contain added nitrites. Pancetta is high in fat and salt, but the small amounts used for flavouring add up to less.

How best to be consumed

Pancetta is used as a flavouring, in small amounts.

1. Dice and fry slowly in a pan, until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp.
2. Use a small amount in pasta, soups, beans and vegetables, for a savoury flavour.
3. Wrap around lean meats, such as chicken or turkey, to keep them moist.
4. Eat thinly sliced raw only if it is labelled ready-to-eat, and avoid in pregnancy.
5. Keep refrigerated, and use within the date.

Overconsumption could cause…

Pancetta is a processed meat, best occasional.

1. Higher risk of bowel cancer and other conditions with regular intake of processed meat, which the World Health Organization's cancer agency classifies as carcinogenic to humans, because of nitrites, salt and smoking, so keep it occasional.
2. High salt (sodium), which can raise blood pressure over time, particularly in cured, canned and processed products.
3. Nitrites and nitrates used in curing, which can form cancer-linked nitrosamines when cooked at high heat, so avoid charring cured meats.
4. Raised LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk from the saturated fat in fattier cuts, skin and processed products, so choose lean cuts and trim visible fat.
5. Listeria infection from cold cured or sliced meats and pâté, a particular risk in pregnancy, older age and weak immunity, so these groups should avoid them or heat them until steaming hot. This applies to pancetta that is not cooked.

GroupsProcessed MeatMammals (red meat)ItalianCured or salted

Related foodsProsciuttoBaconChorizoCorned BeefHamPastrami

Wikipedia — Pancetta, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancetta