You might have eaten a pancetta slice from a fancy charcuterie board or seen little cubes of it added to a salad to make it crispier. Or, maybe youve tasted the salty bites mixed into a carbonara pasta. If youve had pancetta, then you know this fatty, salt-cured meat is quite a treat.
A lot of different foods, from pasta sauces to soups and stews, can use its strong pork flavor to add rich umami notes. You can use it instead of other meats in dishes you already like, or you can add it to traditional Italian recipes to make them taste better. So what the heck is pancetta, and why should you add it to your grocery list immediately?.
It’s easy to explain, but the world of cured meat, or even just Italian pork products, can get very complicated very quickly. Pancetta, prosciutto, guanciale, capocollo, the list goes on. Heres everything you need to know about pancetta.
If you appreciate all things bacon, then pancetta is definitely an ingredient youll want to know more about. It can be used in place of bacon in many recipes and can seriously upgrade your culinary creations.
From the pig’s belly comes pancetta, whose name comes from the word “pancia,” which means “punch.” Pancetta’s flavor comes from being salt-cured with a lot of different spices, like fennel, chili, and nutmeg. In many ways, pancetta is like bacon, but there is one big difference: pancetta is not smoked.
There are two main forms of pancetta – arrotolata which is rolled, and stesa, meaning flat. For the most part, pancetta arrotolata looks like the bacon rashers we’re used to, while pancetta stesa is usually cut into small, tasty cubes that are great for adding to sauces and other savory dishes.
Bacon and pancetta – two delicious cured pork products that share similarities but have distinct differences. With the recent rise of bacon in pop culture and recipes, many wonder if its Italian cousin pancetta could be a healthier alternative Let’s explore if pancetta truly edges out bacon in nutrition and health factors
An Overview of Bacon and Pancetta
To start let’s look at what defines each one
-
Bacon – Made from pork belly that is cured, smoked, and sliced. Known for its signature smoky flavor and crispy texture when fried.
-
Pancetta – An Italian bacon made from pork belly that is salt cured and flavored with spices but not smoked. Sold rolled or in a flat slab.
So they start from the same cut of meat but undergo different curing and cooking processes. This results in contrasting flavors and textures that impact their uses in cooking.
Key Nutrition Differences Between Bacon and Pancetta
There are some notable nutritional differences between bacon and pancetta:
-
Fat & Calories – Pancetta is slightly lower in fat and calories, with 2.4g fat and 30 calories per 0.3 oz serving compared to 3.6g fat and 46 calories in bacon.
-
Sodium – Pancetta contains less sodium at 165mg per 0.3 oz versus 196mg in bacon.
-
Nitrates – Bacon can contain sodium nitrate for curing while pancetta does not. Nitrates may be linked to cancer.
-
Nutrients – Bacon can lose some B vitamins and minerals when smoked. Pancetta retains more B5, B12, zinc and iron.
So pancetta does seem to have a better nutrition profile with less fat, sodium, and nitrates but higher nutrient levels. However, the differences are relatively small.
Health Concerns Around Bacon and Pancetta
Both meats come with similar health cautions:
-
They are high in saturated fat – bacon has 1.2g and pancetta 0.9g per 0.3 oz serving. This raises cholesterol levels.
-
The sodium content is concerning for those with high blood pressure or heart disease risk.
-
Nitrates and nitrites used in curing may increase cancer risk, especially with frequent high consumption.
-
Preservatives like sodium phosphate and erythorbate can also have negative effects.
While pancetta is modestly lower in these factors, both are highly processed and cured meats that should be eaten in moderation. Those with medical conditions like heart disease may want to avoid both.
Cooking Differences Between Bacon and Pancetta
Bacon and pancetta also differ quite a bit in how they are prepared and used:
-
Bacon needs to be cooked before eating while pancetta can be enjoyed raw.
-
Bacon is most often pan fried into crisp slices or bits. Pancetta is usually diced up and cooked in another dish.
-
The strong smoky flavor of bacon stands out in a dish. Pancetta adds a subtle, savory porkiness.
-
Bacon fat can be poured off after cooking. The fat in pancetta infuses into the dish as it cooks.
-
Bacon works best cooked solo as a breakfast side or topping. Pancetta shines when cooked into pastas, pizzas, salads, etc.
So bacon serves more as a stand-alone side while pancetta is used to enhance other ingredients. Their differing flavors and textures make them suited to different culinary uses.
Nutrition Impacts of Cooking Methods
How you cook bacon and pancetta also influences their nutritional value:
-
Pan frying in its own fat makes bacon crispy but adds a lot of extra grease. This boosts calories and fat intake.
-
Baking on a wire rack allows bacon fat to drip off, keeping it lower in calories.
-
Raw pancetta has the best nutrition since cooking itself can create harmful compounds.
-
Dicing pancetta into small bits and cooking over low heat in liquid also limits fat absorption.
-
High-heat cooking like sautéing diced pancetta crispy in oil produces more harmful chemicals.
For both meats, dry cooking methods are best to limit added fats. Overall, raw or gently cooked pancetta has an edge over fried bacon nutrition-wise.
Is Turkey Bacon More Healthy Than Pork Bacon or Pancetta?
Many see turkey bacon as a healthier bacon alternative. But on closer inspection, turkey bacon isn’t significantly better nutritionally:
-
Turkey bacon has 90 calories and 0.9g fat per 0.3 oz serving compared to 46 calories and 3.6g fat in pork bacon. So it is lower in fat and calories.
-
However, turkey bacon contains added preservatives like sodium nitrite and artificial flavors. And it is highly processed.
-
The sodium content of turkey bacon is on par with pork bacon and pancetta at around 165mg per serving.
-
Turkey bacon is not actually bacon – it is made from chopped and reformed turkey meat meant to mimic bacon.
So while turkey bacon is a bit lower in fat and calories than its pork counterparts, it is highly processed with additives and not nutritionally superior overall. Authentic pancetta or bacon in moderation are likely better options.
Is Prosciutto Healthier Than Bacon or Pancetta?
Prosciutto is another popular Italian cured pork product. But does it have any health advantages over bacon or pancetta? Here’s how it compares:
-
Prosciutto is salt-cured and air dried, not smoked like bacon. This results in its delicate flavor.
-
It is lowest in fat at 1.16g per 0.3 oz serving. Pancetta has 2.4g and bacon 3.6g.
-
Prosciutto contains no nitrates/nitrites and is less processed than bacon.
-
However, prosciutto has just as much sodium (190mg per serving) as bacon and pancetta.
Overall, prosciutto does seem to edge out bacon and pancetta slightly thanks to its lower fat content and less processing. But sodium levels are still high, so all should be eaten in moderation.
The Bottom Line: Is Pancetta Healthier Than Bacon?
Pancetta does appear to be the healthier choice between these two cured pork products:
-
It is lower in fat, calories, sodium, and nitrates compared to bacon.
-
Pancetta retains more nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, and iron.
-
It requires less high-heat cooking, limiting formation of harmful compounds.
However, the differences are relatively small. Pancetta and bacon are both high in sodium and saturated fat and should be eaten in moderation by those concerned about health conditions like heart disease. For the healthiest approach, consume pancetta and bacon sparingly as flavor enhancers rather than eating large servings. Prosciutto and fat-trimmed bacon prepared gently can also be sensible options. So savor small amounts of these tasty foods, and your health doesn’t have to suffer!
How to cook with pancetta
Pancetta is great because it can be eaten raw or cooked, depending on the type you buy. This means you can enjoy this salty meat in many ways. In Italy, its traditionally enjoyed as an antipasto, either on its own or with some bread. You don’t have to prepare pancetta to eat it raw; you can put it on a charcuterie board, in a sandwich, or on a crostini, and you can mix it with any other foods you like.
Whether you buy pancetta sliced or cubed, it’s very easy to cook. The most common way is to heat it up in a frying pan, like you would cook bacon. You don’t have to add any oil or water to help the fat start to render. Some people do. Let it crisp up a bit, and drain the remaining fat if you wish. You can also bake pancetta or even put it around another piece of meat and roast it in the oven until the outside is crispy.
Once the meat is cooked, there are many different ways to include it in various dishes. You can put it in frittatas, salads, or roasted Brussels sprouts, or you can add it to pastas and soups to make them salty and meaty.
There are two main types of pancetta that are widely available in the U. S. , each differentiated by the way it is cured and ultimately cut and shaped. Pancetta arrotolata, or rolled pancetta, is the most common. The meat is stretched out, rubbed with curing spices and herbs, and rolled up into a log. Its then covered in a natural skin, tied up, and left to cure for several weeks to months. When sliced into thin pieces, pancetta’s spirals of meat and fat come from being rolled. These pieces are usually eaten raw.
Pancetta tesa, or flat pancetta, is cured in a flat slab shape similar to bacon. The herbs and spices are rubbed into the pork that isn’t covered by skin, and it is left to dry for a few months to cure. Most of the time, this kind of pancetta is cut into small cubes or thicker strips to be cooked.
Because they both come from the same part of the pig and sometimes look very similar, it’s easy to mix up pancetta and bacon. But pancetta is not simply Italian bacon; the two are very different.
There is one main difference: pancetta is cured with salt and seasonings that give it its unique taste, while bacon is cured in a salt and sugar mixture (that sometimes has a lot of chemicals in it) and then smoked (either on different kinds of wood pellets or, if it’s made commercially, in the oven). So, that’s why they taste so different: bacon has a flavor that is earthy, smoky, and even sweet, while pancetta gets a stronger, meatier flavor from the spices it is cured in.
One more big difference is that you have to cook bacon to eat it. Unlike pancetta, you can’t eat it raw because the way it’s cured is different. For pancetta, it takes a few weeks to a few months to cure, but bacon only needs a few days. Because of this, pancetta and bacon are often cooked and eaten in very different ways and then used in very different ways.
If you’ve ever seen pancetta on a charcuterie board, you might have thought it was prosciutto at first. It’s easy to mix them up because they look so much alike and are both made of cured pork. The curing process makes a difference in both the taste and the texture of the two.
Pork belly is used to make pancetta. It is cured with salt and a number of spices and then left to develop its flavor for a few weeks. Once cured, it will have a soft texture, similar to uncooked bacon. You can cook it to enjoy the great fat that runs through it, but you can also cut it very thinly and eat it raw.
Prosciutto, on the other hand, comes from the hind leg of the pig. It is rubbed with salt and spices, and left to air dry for several months. When sliced paper-thin, it has a creamy texture and is usually served raw to appreciate its delicate flavor. Which pork product you opt for will depend on the dish you make. As a pork-flavored meat that can be used to improve a dish, pancetta is the obvious choice. But for a fancy platter, raw prosciutto will do just fine. Either way, you will enjoy a delicious ingredient that will bring a taste of Italy to your table.
Where to buy pancetta
You should be able to find pancetta in most major grocery stores. It’s usually found in or near the deli section of the store, along with other cured meats, deli meats, and cheeses. It tastes like prosciutto or salami. If you dont have any luck there, try the international section since pancetta is an Italian-made product. And when in doubt, you can always order it online.
Your local butcher shop should also have pancetta if your grocery store doesn’t have it or if you’d like something that’s been cut more recently or is made to order. Different shops will have different kinds of pancetta. You can have it sliced by hand or buy it in bigger blocks to cut yourself.
Pancetta can be kept in the fridge for up to three weeks after it has been opened, but it will taste and be freshest if you eat it within 10 days (more on that later).