What Is Guanciale? 

A key ingredient in many classic Italian pasta dishes, guanciale might be the solution to unlocking a new level of flavor when it comes to your Italian cooking. The fatty cured meat can be challenging to find, but seeking it out is worth the effort. Keep reading to learn more about this Italian favorite.

What Is Guanciale?

Guanciale is a pork product made from a pig's cheek. The name guanciale comes from the Italian word for cheek, guancia. Guanciale is super fatty and usually cured with salt, sugar, and spices. It can be bought raw but in most cases, it is sold cured. Usually, guanciale is cut into matchsticks or into thin strips and the fat is rendered, much like bacon. Often the guanciale fat is as important as the guanciale itself – in pasta sauces and salad dressing, it infuses the entire dish with richness and the saltiness from the pork.

Guanciale is used most in the cooking of Lazio, the region of Italy that is home to Rome. Typical Roman pastas like carbonara, amatriciana, gricia all depend on the intensity and fattiness of guanciale. It's also often used on pizzas, in salads, and in a range of other dishes.

What Does Guanciale Taste Like?

Guanciale is salty, with a lot of richness from the fat, as well as distinct meatiness. If you like bacon, you're likely to also enjoy guanciale, though it is saltier than bacon. Unlike bacon, guanciale isn't typically smoked.

Guanciale vs. Pancetta

The biggest difference between guanciale and pancetta is the part of the pig that they come from. While guanciale comes from the cheek of the pig, pancetta is made from the belly, much like bacon. Both pancetta and guanciale are sold cubed, but they are made in different forms. Guanciale is an oblong shape, usually the whole muscle of the cheek, while pancetta is often rolled.

Is Guanciale Similar to Bacon?

Guanciale is different from bacon in that it is made from pork cheek, not from pork belly. Guanciale is also unsmoked, whereas bacon is generally prized for its smokiness. The other major difference is the intensity of salt: while bacon is salty, it's delicious for eating straight. Guanciale is less appropriate for snacking because of the intensity of the salt levels.

How to Store Guanciale

After it's been cut, the guanciale will last seven to ten days. Whole and well-wrapped in plastic wrap, it will last up to three weeks. For longer storage, it's best to tightly wrap the guanciale and freeze it. The fat that is rendered from the pork, which is great for all kinds of cooking, will last several months longer if stored in the refrigerator.

Ways to Use Guanciale

Guanciale is a great way to add just a touch of richness and meatiness to any recipe. Here are a couple of classic dishes that lean on this savory ingredient

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

This traditional carbonara recipe was created in the Lazio region (the area around Rome) in the middle of the 20th century, after World War II. It utilizes guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and lots of black pepper to create the signature flavor.

Enzo's Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

"Five stars but 14 thumbs up over here," says Allrecipes user Buckwheat Queen. "I doubled it because I had a house full of hungry people. It was perfect. Grazie Enzo e Kim, Bravissimi!"

More Inspiration:

• What Is Pancetta?
• 8 Easy Italian Classic Recipes You Can Make at Home
• The Secret to Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce