Guanciale - Smoking Goose Meatery

Guanciale - Smoking Goose Meatery

Guanciale is cured pork jowl, and Smoking Goose Meatery smokes this one in Indiana with sea salt, brown sugar and a spice blend of garlic, juniper berries, black pepper and bay leaves. It is the cut that makes carbonara taste like carbonara.

Why you'll love it

• Hog jowl — fattier and more savory than pancetta, which is why the classic recipes call for it.
• Smoked — a gentle smoke that adds depth without turning the dish into a campfire.
• Indiana made — cured and smoked in Indiana by a small producer.
• Spice blend — garlic, juniper, black pepper and bay leaves, with brown sugar for balance.
• Cubes or slices — cut it either way depending on whether it goes in a sauce or on a sandwich.

How to enjoy Render it slowly from a cold pan and use the fat for carbonara or amatriciana, bake slices for a serious BLT, or cube it into braised beans and roasted vegetables.

The one ingredient that will make you stop buying bacon for pasta.