FOOD NEWS
The Differences You Should Know Between Prosciutto
And Pancetta
BY PEGGY AOKI
While prosciutto and pancetta are both cured pork products with Italian heritage, their key difference lies in the cut of meat used to make them.
Pancetta is made from pork belly that's seasoned with salt and various spices, then rolled and cured, often with pepper or other flavorings. It's typically eaten cooked.
Pancetta contains about 30% fat, twice as much as prosciutto, giving it a highly fatty texture. The extra spices give it a distinctive, savory flavor.
Prosciutto, on the other hand, is made from a pig's hind leg. The meat is aged for anywhere from nine months to two years, giving it a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Slices of prosciutto have a small margin of fat, which provides a contrast to the saltiness of the cured meat. Prosciutto is much higher in lean muscle than pancetta.