guanciale
{{Short description|Italian cured meat product}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Guanciale
| image = Guanciale closeup (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 240px
| caption =
| alternate_name =
| country = Italy
| region =
| creator =
| course =
| type =
| served =
| main_ingredient = Pork jowl or cheeks
| minor_ingredient = Salt, sugar, spices
| variations =
| serving_size = 100 g
}}
Guanciale ({{IPA|it|ɡwanˈtʃaːle|lang}}) is an Italian salt-cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks.{{cite book |last1=De Vita |first1=Oretta Zanini |last2=Fant |first2=Maureen B. |title=Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way |year=2013 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0-393-24151-8 |page=33 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RVPCAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA33}} Its name is derived from {{lang|it|guancia}}, meaning 'cheek'.{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Cotto |date=10 November 2010 |title=Italy's Ultimate Answer to Bacon: Guanciale |url=http://www.salon.com/2010/11/10/guanciale_bucatini_all_amatriciana_ext2010/ |work=Salon |access-date=9 January 2017}} Its rendered fat gives flavour to and thickens the sauce of pasta dishes.{{cite book |last1=Parla |first1=Katie |last2=Gill |first2=Kristina |title=Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City: A Cookbook |year=2016 |publisher=Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed |isbn=978-0-8041-8718-3 |pages=81–82 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uDTTCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA81}}
Production
Guanciale{{cite book |first1=Michael |last1=Ruhlman |first2=Brian |last2=Polcyn |title=Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=14KnPTpUOwwC&pg=PA87 |year=2012 |location=New York |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0-393-06859-7 |oclc=829279722 |pages=87–89}} is usually rubbed with just salt and ground black pepper by cooks in Rome, but some producers use other spices, herbs, {{lang|it|peperoncino}} or red pepper,{{cite book |last1=Downie |first1=David |title=Food Wine Rome |year=2009 |publisher=New York Review of Books |isbn=978-1-892145-71-0 |page=8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nVP0aW0c4AIC&pg=PT8}} and sometimes garlic. It is cured for three weeks or until it loses approximately 30% of its original weight. Its flavour is stronger than that of other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate. When cooked, the fat typically melts away.
In cuisine
Guanciale may be cut and eaten directly in small portions, but is often used as an ingredient in pasta dishes such as {{lang|it|spaghetti alla carbonara}} and sauces such as {{lang|it|sugo all'amatriciana}}.{{cite book |first1=Luigi |last1=Carnacina |first2=Luigi |last2=Veronelli |title=La cucina Rustica Regionale |chapter=Vol. 2, Italia Centrale |publisher=Rizzoli |year=1977 |oclc=797623404}} republication of La Buona Vera Cucina Italiana, 1966.
It is a specialty of central Italy, particularly Umbria and Lazio. Pancetta, a cured Italian bacon that is normally not smoked, is sometimes used as a substitute when guanciale is not available.{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Graue |title=The New Bacon: Pancetta, Guanciale and More |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2011/03/11/the-new-bacon-pancetta-guanciale-and-more/ |work=San Jose Mercury News |orig-year=March 11, 2011 |date=August 13, 2016 |access-date=9 January 2017}}