Cut & Cure
What is Pancetta?
Pronounced /pan-CHET-tah/
Definition
Pancetta is salt-cured, unsmoked pork belly, sold rolled (arrotolata) or flat (tesa), used as a cooking fat and flavor base.
It is the same cut as American bacon without the smoke and sugar, which is why it disappears into a soffritto instead of announcing itself.
Cubed pancetta is the everyday stand-in for guanciale, and the most widely available Italian cured fat in US supermarkets.
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Quick answer
What can I use instead of guanciale?
Pancetta is the best substitute for guanciale — use the same weight. Unsmoked salt pork is second. Smoked bacon works but adds smoke the dish never had, so use a quarter less and skip any added salt.