Hormel Cured Salt Pork Recipes

HOME-CURED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, peppercorns, cloves, allspice berries, juniper berries and hot red pepper flakes. Grind until coarse.
• Mix the spices with nutmeg, kosher salt and curing salt.
• Rub the spice and salt mixture all over a 10-pound piece of pork belly, with the skin. Peel and coarsely chop 1 head of garlic, combine it with 1/2 cup red wine, and rub this on the meat, too. The wine helps the salt find its way into the meat.
• Arrange a metal rack on a sheet pan with sides and place the meat on the rack, to allow airflow. Leave it in the refrigerator for a week. Turn it over daily and pour off any liquid. The tesa is ready when the salts have penetrated to the center, one to two weeks depending on how thick the belly is. Test after one week by tasting a thin slice from near an edge, crisped in a pan. Once cured, the tesa can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for a month, or frozen. Cook it as you would bacon or pancetta; it's especially good as crisp lardons in a salad.

WHITE BEANS WITH SALT PORK

Steps:

• Place beans and baking soda in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let soak, overnight, at room temperature.
• If using salt pork, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt pork and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Cut salt pork or pancetta into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1/2 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add rosemary and continue cooking until tender, adding more water as necessary to keep meat covered by 1/4 inch, about 30 minutes for salt pork or 10 minutes for pancetta. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Drain beans and place in a medium saucepan. Add enough fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 35 minutes, skimming any impurities that rise to the surface. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, prosciutto, and parsley; cook, stirring, until onion and garlic are lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain salt pork or pancetta and add to pan, along with beans and their cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer, skimming surface as necessary. Partially cover saucepan, reduce heat and gently simmer until beans are tender and salt pork is translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt; serve with bread.