Homemade cured pork adds insane flavor to this pork belly carbonara recipe.
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Summary
- In this pork belly pasta carbonara recipe, you’ll cure your own pork belly. It takes 5 minutes, plus a day in the fridge, and results in cured pork that’s better than anything you’d get at the store.
- Look for bronze-cut pasta for this pork belly carbonara. Bronze-cut pasta is a paler yellow and has a floury surface. It’s courser and more toothsome than Teflon-cut pasta, which is the shiny, golden stuff.
This recipe for pork belly pasta carbonara calls for the extra (easy!) step of salting and curing the pork belly.
It’s absolutely worth the 5 minutes of hands-on time. Uncured pork belly isn’t nearly as flavorful as cured pork belly. Luckily, making cured pork is the breeziest breeze there is. Simply cover your pork belly (cut into strips) with a generous amount of kosher salt, put it in the fridge, and forget about it.
In as little as a day you’ll have homemade cured pork belly to use not only in this pork belly pasta carbonara, but in soups and stews as well. You’ll be wondering why you ever bothered buying pancetta from the store. This is the real deal, and it tastes like it, too.
What is carbonara sauce made of?
Carbonara sauce is made by cooking fatty pork (commonly pancetta, guanciale, or bacon) until it renders, then creating a silky, creamy sauce from the pork fat, grated parmesan, beaten eggs and/or egg yolks, and starchy pasta water. A few twists of cracked black pepper are a common addition. Traditional carbonara sauce does not use cream.
Does carbonara contain raw egg?
When creating a traditional carbonara sauce, like in this pork belly carbonara recipe, raw eggs are beaten and used as a base for the sauce. The hot pasta and starchy pasta cooking water gently heat and cook the eggs. The eggs are generally considered cooked when considering the final product.
If you’re squeamish about raw egg yolks… can’t imagine how you found yourself here. In MY corner of the Internet, of all places. Raw egg yolk will change your life. Try it.
Bacon vs. pancetta vs. guanciale vs. pork belly
Bacon and pancetta are pork belly that has been smoked and cured with salt and spices, respectively, while guanciale is cured pork jowl (pig cheek). Bacon, pancetta, and guanciale are all commonly used in the preparation of pasta carbonara.
Pork belly, unlike bacon, pancetta, or guanciale, is uncured and unsmoked. It has the least flavor, which is why in this pork belly carbonara recipe, we’re taking the extra step of salt-curing it in the fridge.
You can find uncured pork belly at your local supermarket. If they don’t have it in today, you can ask the butcher to order some for you. You can also buy pork belly at Asian grocery stores, which almost always have it in stock.
Can you use pork belly for carbonara?
Yes. Uncured, unsmoked pork belly can be used for carbonara, but it’ll be lacking that classic depth of flavor that comes from using cured meats like pancetta, guanciale, or bacon. Using pork belly for carbonara starts with the extra, super easy step of salt-curing the meat yourself. It’ll be fresher and more flavorful than anything store-bought.
Ingredients in pork belly pasta carbonara
The ingredients in this pork belly pasta carbonara don’t differ from traditional pasta carbonara, and that’s because carbonara is a Perfect Food. I won’t reinvent the wheel, especially if it’s gotten us this far. If you’re unfamiliar with the usual ingredients in pasta carbonara, here’s a refresher.
Since there’s so few ingredients in this recipe, try to go for the good stuff. If you can swing it.
- Pasta: look for high-quality Italian pasta. Preferably bronze-cut. You can identify bronze cut pastas by their slightly lighter color and floury surface vs. the shiny and golden pastas like Barilla. Bronze-cut pastas are more porous and sauce clings to them more readily. I love Rummo brand, and something like De Cecco would work, too.
- Pork belly: you can find uncured pork belly at your local supermarket. If they don’t have it in today, you can ask the butcher to order some for you. You can also buy pork belly at Asian grocery stores, which almost always have it in stock.
- Parmesan: the unsung hero of this recipe. Look for a good quality, flaky Parmesan cheese in block form. You’ll be grating fresh parm for this recipe and you’ll like it.
- Eggs: beaten eggs are the base of this pork belly pasta carbonara. The heat from the pasta and pasta water will gently cook the beaten eggs, creating the silkiest sauce ever.
- Cracked black pepper: absolutely necessary. No pre-ground pepper here.
- Kosher salt: for curing the pork belly, for salting the pasta water, etc. I use and swear by Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
How to cure meat with salt
Uncured pork belly isn’t super flavorful when cooked. Curing adds color, crispness, and depth of flavor to the pork belly. For this pork belly pasta carbonara, the extra step of covering the meat with kosher salt and leaving it in the fridge to cure ensures a carbonara with the most delicious porky flavor. And it’s really as simple as that.
Slice your pork belly into 1/4-inch strips, if the butcher hasn’t done that already. In an airtight container, roll the strips in kosher salt, covering all the nooks and crannies. Cover the strips generously with kosher salt. Make sure they’re super well coated.
Leave the container with the salted strips in the fridge for at least a day. You’ll notice a fair amount of water in the container. This is the salt doing its job and dehydrating the meat. Discard the water, rinse and dry the salt pork well, and repeat the process of coating and covering the pork with salt.
What you’ve just done is cured your own meat! To be more specific, you’ve made salt pork. Salt pork is the base for many recipes like baked beans, collard greens, and chowder.
It can be used after 1-2 days, but salt pork will last for a very long time provided it’s been salted properly and kept cold and dry. Like, salt pork lasts indefinitely. Months, even years.
What salt is best for curing meat?
Pink curing salt is traditionally used for curing meats and fish. It contains salt and nitrite, a preserving agent. Curing salt should only be used for curing meats.
Can I use kosher salt instead of curing salt?
If you don’t have curing salt, kosher salt is commonly used as a replacement. Make sure it’s non-iodized, to ensure a clean taste after curing. Diamond Crystal kosher salt is my go-to for both curing and cooking.
What happens when you cure meat?
Curing meat by covering it with salt dehydrates the meat, which increases the amount of time that it remains edible by making it inhospitable to microbe growth. This process not only creates a crispy texture when cured meat is cooked (think less water = more crispness) but concentrates the natural savory flavor of pork.
How to cook pork belly for carbonara
After curing the pork belly in the fridge for a day or two, slice it into 1-inch pieces. Keep in mind that as the pieces cook, the fat will render, meaning they’ll get smaller.
Start the cured pork belly pieces in a cold heavy-bottomed pan on medium-low heat, with no oil. As the pan heats up, the fat in the pork belly will render and release. Cook on medium-low, stirring often, until the pieces shrink and crisp up, about 12 to 15 minutes.
First the meat will cook, then slowly, it’ll take on a beautiful dark golden color and crispy texture. At this point, you’ll fish out the crispy pork belly pieces and continue with the rest of the recipe.
What can I use instead of parmesan in carbonara?
You can use any salty, dry Italian cheese instead of parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) when making carbonara, like Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, or aged Asiago. Try using a blend of two or more!
What to serve with carbonara
Carbonara can be heavy. Eggs + cheese + pork and pasta is an obvious recipe for success, yes, but can also make for a rude pasta hangover.
Serve this pork belly pasta carbonara with a lemony arugula side salad or a delicious Caesar. If it’s grilling season, try some simple grilled asparagus.
What kind of pasta to use for carbonara
Team long pasta vs. team rigatoni: no losers here. Play the long game with a spaghetti or bucatini, go for the old faithful, rigatoni. Both are practically made for carbonara. This recipe for pork belly pasta carbonara calls for spaghetti, but do you.
Best wine pairings for carbonara
Generally, heavy food pairs with heavy wine, and vice versa. Carbonara is rich and silky, so opt for a medium- or full-bodied white wine like a Chardonnay. If you’d like to go for a red wine, try a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.