Guanciale from Parma

Our guanciale is cured in a similar way to our outstanding Parma ham. However, the seasoning differs significantly. While Parma ham is preserved exclusively with various grains of sea salt, our air-dried bacon also has pepper and herbs added to the salt mixture.

First, let's clarify which part of the meat guanciale is made from. "Pig's cheek," as many people call it, is only a vague description and demonstrates a lack of technical knowledge. This air-dried specialty comes from the fat cheek, or more precisely, the chin of the pig. If you're using normalpork cheekthen you will also find them in our shop.

Regional Differences - Buy Guanciale in Italy

Guanciale is not protected by any specific geographical area, meaning there is no specific region from which this specialty originates. The names for the same product vary from region to region. In Molise, for example, this specialty is called vrucculare or vrucculeare, in Tuscany it is called barbina, and in Umbria it is called barbozzo.

Important component of whole-animal utilization

In the case of our Guanciale, the production from the chin or the fat cheek of the large, heavy Parma ham pigs also contributes to a better utilization of the whole animal. This way, the ham naturally becomes the world-famousParma ham, from the belly and throat ourPancetta Supercopattaand from the shoulder and belly sections we make our salami specialities such as theGhiottolino. Our partners, just like we do, value the entire animal from head to toe.

Thinly sliced ​​and warmed to room temperature, this air-dried pork cheek can be served on toasted bread. However, guanciale is most commonly cut into strips and cubes. It serves as a flavoring ingredient in many traditional dishes, such as:

• Bucatini all'amatriciana (bucatini pasta in a tomato sauce with guanciale, pecorino and pepperoni)
• Spaghetti alla carbonara (spaghetti in a sauce of eggs, guanciale and cheese)
• Fave col guanciale (dish made with beans and guanciale)