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← Guanciale

Guanciale substitutes

Guanciale is the traditional name in Italy. Elsewhere, butchers sell the same piece — or a close cousin — under a different name.

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Substitutes for Guanciale that can be delivered rather than hunted down at a counter.

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Italy

Pancettaapproximate

Both Italian cured pork products used to render fat as the base of pasta sauces; guanciale is jowl, pancetta is belly. Roman recipes specify guanciale; pancetta is a common substitute outside Italy.

Mexico

Cabeza de cerdoapproximate

Guanciale is cured pork jowl, anatomically a subset of the head. The whole head as a cut is the parent category.

United Kingdom

Pork cheekclose substitute

Same anatomical cut — guanciale is the cured form of fresh pork cheek/jowl.

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