Umai Dry - Dry cured pancetta

Cookinbob

I have been into curing meats for a couple of years now, but did not have a way to dry cure in that I do not have a chamber that is temp and humidity controlled.  Reading this forum about the Umai Dry system and doing a bit of research, I found that you can dry cure in the bags, and they have a charcuterie kit.  I bought the kit and decided on  Pancetta for my first attempt.

First cured the pork belly with lots of aromatics (Garlic, Pepper, Bay leaves, and some other stuff).  The cure used DQ # 2 curing salt which was supplied in the kit.  Once cured, I seasoned heavily with black pepper, then rolled and tied it (thanks YouTube).  Into the fridge it went on a small wire rack, waiting to lose 30% of its weight.  It started out at 2 lbs 11 oz. on July 3.  Yesterday (about 3 weeks in) it hit the target weight of 1 lb 15 oz.  Out of the fridge, sliced it into eighths, and packed 7 into food saver bags.  One of the slices was diced and sauteed into a batch of Arribiata sauce for pasta (tonight's dinner).  I'll use the rest in pasta and paella dishes.  I understand you can slice it real thin and eat it uncooked, but I am not inclined to go that route.

If you have held off on dry curing due to lack of a suitable curing chamber, there is no longer an excuse.  Works great!

Davec433

Looks awesome

Sea2Ski

Yes!!!  I will take a bag. Two if allowed.   I am going to order that kit when I need more bags - probably in another 2 weeks.  Looks fantastic!

Darby_Crenshaw

Pancetta works fine without the bags, given it is only a couple weeks or three hanging. What is different about the charcuterie kit?

looks great, i just don't understand what they are selling that improves on the thousand year old method? Chambers aren't required, they just help ensure consistency, as with a commercial output/volume. But going au naturale is what gives you seasonal differences and 'terroir', if that is what yer into

 beautiful cor in that. And yes, safe to eat raw. It's cured after all. That's the idea!  Slice super thin and eat with olive oil

when you eat prosciutto it is EXACTLY the same thing. In fact, prosciutto is only salt cured. Yours has pink salt too, no?

Roadpuke0

I have a capicola and a pachetta umi dry in process right now. Going to do the superzot next. He it turns out. And hope you enjoy your

Cookinbob

The kit is just smaller bags, some recipes, #2 pink salt, and some "vac mouse" strips that let you vacuum and seal their bags with a Food Saver.

I did a Pancetta once before, flat, not rolled, wrapped in cheesecloth and hung in a dark part of the basement for 4-5 weeks.  Got some green mold on it, weight never dropped the full 30%, I was not as pleased with the result.  

I felt this system would work better for me and it did.  Likewise, one can dry age meat without the bags, but the proper environment is not available for most of us.

Yes it is cured with Pink salt, DQ # 2 which is also used for fermented dry cured sausages.

Thatgrimguy

It's safer, cleaner and more consistent. The real question is why would you not use the umami dry bags?  That Pancetta looks phenomenal!