Guanciale

Guanciale is the meat derived from the jowls of the pig, cured with a mixture of aromas such as salt, juniper berries, bay leaves and black pepper.

It has a couple of streaks of lean pink meat and is surrounded by a delicate, sweet-tasting fat. Roman cuisine long ago adopted Guanciale to create two masterpieces: Amatriciana and Carbonara.

A traditional and ancient specialty of Lazio and Umbria, Guanciale was an important part of the farm workers’ outdoor meal in the fields, eaten sparingly with bread, Pecorino and red wine.