Pancetta, that wonderful dry-cured Italian style bacon, makes just about anything taste better. We’ll let you in on a little secret though: just because stores have probably never heard of lamb or goat pancetta doesn’t mean it isn’t a thing. It’s a delicious thing, easy to make at home, and dying to be added to a slow-cooked pot of tomato sauce, or anywhere else you’d use regular pancetta.
Chef Bergo developed this recipe for us based on the classic version from Michael Ruhlman and, if you’ve ever wondered about curing meat at home, especially if you thought it would be a little too much hassle, or too large of a learning curve, you’ll want to read on. Since it’s cured from a whole muscle, pancetta is one of the easiest things to cure at home, and, unlike something like, sausage, it doesn’t require any special equipment, casings, or half a day of work. And, unlike larger, whole-muscle cures like prosciutto, your pancetta will be ready to use in around 10 days. That’s it.
All you need is a few pantry staples like dried herbs, a little salt, some really good lamb or goat belly, and some pink salt (sodium nitrite) a little time, and a little extra fridge space.
The only real difference between lamb or goat pancetta and pancetta made from pork is that lamb or goat pancetta needs to be cooked for an hour or two to be tender, and there’s a few different ways you can do it. The easiest, is probably to render some down, and then use it as a flavoring for a simple tomato sauce, a pot of beans, or any other place where slow-cooked, salted meat would be welcome. If you want to add it to a dish like you would regular pork pancetta, you’ll want to check out chef’s recommendation for slow cooking the pancetta in the recipe below.
This recipe is by chef Alan Bergo. A chef from Minnesota, Alan is a culinary industry veteran, former executive chef of acclaimed Lucia’s Restaurant, and the Salt Cellar. Founder of the website Forager Chef, he’s best known as a respected authority on Midwestern foraging. Learn more about Alan and his hunt for mushrooms, wild and obscure foods at Forager Chef.
Looking to buy lamb or goat online? Shepherd Song Farm: Grass to table. We raise lambs & goats traditionally, humanely and sustainably. 100% Grass Fed, Pasture Raised, Never Confined, no Hormones, Grains or Animal Byproducts. Born, raised and processed in the U.S.A. Good for you and good for the environment.
Shepherd Song Farm: Grass to table. We raise lambs & goats traditionally, humanely and sustainably. 100% Grass Fed, Pasture Raised, Never Confined, no Hormones, Grains or Animal Byproducts. Born, raised and processed in the U.S.A. Good for you and good for the environment.
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