What part of the pork does Pancetta come from?

Pancetta comes from the Belly section of the pork.

Pancetta

Cure

Also called

→ See all Pancetta substitutes by country

Italian cured pork belly, salt-cured with black pepper, juniper, garlic, and other spices for two to three months. Two main forms: pancetta tesa (flat, like American bacon, but unsmoked) and pancetta arrotolata (rolled tight into a cylinder before curing). Diced and sautéed as the foundation of countless Italian dishes — pasta carbonara historically calls for guanciale but pancetta is the modern compromise. Distinct from American bacon by the absence of smoke and the spice-forward cure.

Names by country

Country	Name	Notes
🇺🇸United States	Pancetta
🇬🇧United Kingdom	Pancetta
🇲🇽Mexico	Pancetta
🇦🇷Argentina	Pancetta
🇫🇷France	Pancetta
🇪🇸Spain	Pancetta
🇵🇹Portugal	Pancetta
🇧🇷Brazil	Pancetta
🇮🇹Italy	Pancettaprimary	Salt-cured pork belly; pancetta tesa (flat) and pancetta arrotolata (rolled) are the two main forms.
🇩🇪Germany	Pancetta

Free Pancetta reference card

Diagram, cooking notes, and 8 names on one printable page.

Free. One-page reference.

Similar cuts

Guancialeapproximate

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.

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