Best way to cook pancetta?

[Tim Dolan]

I consider myself an advanced beginner, sometimes intermediate type cook. I can make a mean risotto and have no problem cooking steak to temp. I'm good at the fairly straightforward stuff. When I cook pancetta, the only thing I do with it is brown it in a frying pan then add it to whatever I'm using.

However I had dinner at a pretty good restaurant the other night and had a dish that had pancetta that melted like butter when it hit my tongue. I just sat there dumbfounded like "damn, I wish I could make pancetta like that..." I'm thinking that soft, meltingly tender pancetta mixed into risotto or mashed potatoes would be nothing short of sublime. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[Chris Amirault]

It sounds like it's been cooked at very low temperatures for a long time in some additional fat. I've done that with olive oil and homemade pancetta to very good effect.

[MikeHartnett]

It sounds like it's been cooked at very low temperatures for a long time in some additional fat. I've done that with olive oil and homemade pancetta to very good effect.

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What he said. But also, it may be the quality of the pancetta. Higher fat to meat ratio might make it "meltier."

[Qwerty]

You sure it was panchetta and not something else like a braised pork belly?

[Tim Dolan]

You sure it was panchetta and not something else like a braised pork belly?

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99.9% positive it was pancetta. The main component of the dish was shredded duck breast with little chunks of pancetta dispersed throughout.

[Jon Savage]

There's no reason why you could not braise panchetta.

Its just cured pork belly after all.

Now that you have me thinking about that I may need to braise some. I've got a couple pounds in the fridge and was planning on curing a few more bellies anyway since I'm almost out.

Myself I generally prefer it as slightly crispy but not browned lardons or just sliced thinly and raw.