Salt Pork Vs Pancetta – What’s The Difference?

Salt pork and pancetta are two incredibly versatile and handy ingredients to have in the kitchen.

Lately, we have seen a massive increase in recipes containing these meats. But, do people even know that there is a difference between these two ingredients?

Despite looking very similar, being made in similar ways, and both being salty meats, they couldn’t be more different! And, these differences mean that they should be used in different ways too.

So, what are the differences between salt pork and pancetta? For starters, pancetta is much more processed and is made with various spices and herbs. Salt pork on the other hand is simply cured in salt and preserved as-is. Salt pork is also normally only used in stews and soups. Pancetta can be eaten as is or incorporated into recipes.

In today’s article, we will take an in-depth look at how each of these cured pork meats is made, the differences in their flavor and appearances, as well as how they can and should be used!

What Is Salt Pork?

Salt pork, also commonly known as salt-cured pork, is a cured meat that is made from the pork belly or fatback.

Today, not only do people confuse it with pancetta but also with bacon. But, to be completely honest, it is essentially a type of bacon, just not as refined.

The exact origin of salt pork is unknown and it is the topic of a ton of debates. However, what we agree with most is that it is most likely an ancient type of cured meat.

Using salty as a preserving ingredient is thousands of years old, so it isn’t hard to believe that pork meat, specifically the belly part, was one of the ingredients cured.

However, despite definitely being an old recipe, it hasn’t been very refined. Or at least, the process simply doesn’t create a refined product.

Curing Process

The curing process used to create salt pork is very simple. The piece of pork belly is mixed with salt and sometimes sugar. Then, the meat is simply stored in the fridge for a couple of months!

During this time, the salt on the surface of the meat extracts moisture. The meat absorbs the salt while slowly becoming less dry. At the end of the curing process, you are left with a completely safe-to-eat piece of meat that is extremely salty.

Characteristics

Salt pork is usually made from pieces of meat that have a high amount of fat. So, it is made using pork belly or fatback (two of the fattiest cuts of pork meat you get). Furthermore, it is usually made from older animals.

This is because they naturally have more fat as compared to younger, leaner pigs.

The physical look of salt pork is also very unique. Because of the high-fat content, it tends to have a whiter color to it. And, it generally does almost look like a piece of bacon.

Salt pork contains high amounts of fat and lower amounts of protein. And naturally, it is extremely high in sodium (salt).

And finally, salt pork can be sold in a couple of forms. More often than not, it is sold in thin slices (slightly thinner than bacon). But, it can also be sold in cubes or whole chunks (cuts) of pork meat.

How It’s Used

Even though salt pork is edible without being cooked we wouldn’t recommend it. It’s simply too salty! For this reason, salt pork is used as the flavoring ingredient in stews and broths.

Once mixed with additional ingredients, the saltiness is considerably reduced and it becomes edible.

What Is Pancetta?

Pancetta is also a type of salt-cured pork meat. However, it differs in virtually every way. Pancetta is a relatively new discovery and has only been around since the 15^th century.

Although it is a couple of hundred years old, it is considered to be a more modern and refined cured meat.

Pancetta is also cured using salt but has added flavoring ingredients to it. The process of making pancetta has been designed to develop specific flavor profiles that are deep and rich.

Curing Process

Pancetta is combined with salt, sugar, and various herbs and spices. There aren’t specific herbs, spices, or even combinations of these that are used. For this reason, there are virtually endless amounts of options to choose from.

After the meat has been left to cure in a brine for several days (even weeks), the meat is often rolled and stuffed into netting. Then, the rolled meat or chunk of meat is carefully monitored while drying specific conditions.

Pancetta is also often smoked using various woods and ingredients.

Characteristics

Pancetta is made from much leaner pieces of meat. It also tends to have a much lighter pinkish color because of the high protein to fat ratio.

It is still salty meat; however, it also contains wonderful notes of spices and herbs.

This meat is sold in many forms. The most common is sliced. If pancetta has been rolled (arrotolata), they can be sold in the netting or thinly sliced.

If they were made flat (tesa), they can be sold cubed, in chunks, as whole pieces of meat, or in thinly sliced pieces. And when we say thin, we mean wafer-thin! You can almost see through them!

How It’s Used

Pancetta has been completely cured and dried, so it can be eaten as-is. This is how most people use it. It is traditionally served on antipasti platters or charcuterie boards.

However, pancetta can also be used in dishes like various kinds of pasta or on top of pizza. Depending on how it is cooked, it can make very crispy pieces and savory pieces of meat.

Salt Pork Vs Pancetta – What’s The Difference?

Below, we have made a comprehensive table so you can compare salt pork and pancetta side-by-side. Now, you never have to wonder about the differences and similarities again!

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Differences	Salt Pork	Pancetta
Meat Used	Fatty pork belly or fatback.	Leaner pork belly.
Curing Process	Cured in salt.	Cured in brine then left to dry. Also often smoked.
Ingredients Used	Salt and sometimes sugar.	Salt, sugar, spices, and dried herbs.
Color	Mostly white color due to high-fat content. Almost looks like bacon.	Pinkish color because of high protein content.
Fat-To-Protein Ratio	High fat and low protein meat	High protein and low-fat meat
Salt Content	High in sodium	High in sodium
Cooking Uses	Used in stews, broths, and soups as the flavoring ingredient.	On platters or as a topping or addition to pizza, pasta, salads, and various other recipes.

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