Failed Pancetta

[Kooper]

I tried my first pancetta and unfortunately it got a lot of multi-coloured mold on it. The humidity and temperature were right in the sweet spot so does anyone know why it might have happened and what I can do so it doesn't happen again. I had it in my curing chamber with a bersaola would that have made a difference?

[Trev]

Did you roll it and tie it up? If there are any air pockets trapped in the centre they may cause a jump in humidity and mould could occur. Tying it was the hardest part, imo, but once it's tied and hung up it should finish curing just fine. It needs air circulation to prevent mould. I doubt the Bresaola had much to do with it as it's fully cured already. I'd blame lack of circulation. When I cure a pancetta I hang it downstairs for 2 weeks so it can 'breathe' in a 65*/60RH environment. Assuming your inital cure went well, the pancetta will still have a lot of moisture in it (hence the need to hang it). If anaerobic bacteria gets hold of that it's a virtual playground. Bresaola has far less moisture and is more impervious to anaerobic bacteria, so that bacteria could be present in your curing chamber without the other product indicating.

[Kooper]

I didn't roll it. It was hanging unrolled. I saw on a few blogs the dangers of having a rolled pancetta so I cured it wide open.

My curing chamber is a closed box with an opening that I use to regulate the humiditiy and temperature. Should I have constant air flowing through the chamber to keep the air fresh?

[Trev]

I don't know, I wouldn't believe everything I read on a blog. Lots of people post stuff based on fear, not necessarily on experience. I followed the instructions, and cautions, in 'Charcuterie' my first time and it went really well, but your mileage may vary. I'm not experienced with a curing chamber at all, so I really can't say much about it, but I do know that some free air around the pancetta while it's in it's final cure can help discourage certain types of bacteria from developing in the first place.
I think that having air moving or blowing through your chamber will create such dry conditions that may interfere with proper curing-- the pancetta needs to hang for 2 weeks without getting hard from curing too fast. I'd really suggest that after it's cured in the fridge for a week, like regular bacon, try tying it up really friggin' tight and hanging it in a cool, relatively dry place.

[Qfan]

Yeah, we had trouble with pancetta mold as well. Trying to roll it tight enough to remove those moist dark air pockets and mold breeding grounds is next to impossible. I wonder if there isn't a trick (or even 'mechanical assistance') involved in creating commercial pancetta without mold in the roll. I think it was Reg that mentioned the idea of suspending a commercial sausage/bacon with the 'good', i.e. white dusty mold beside these projects in order to induce the 'good' mold to take hold ahead of the bad shaggy green crap. Maybe the idea of hanging straight and then rolling later in the game is the key, but at the first sign of negative mold, wipe/spritz with vinegar-water solution.
That's why charcuterie is both an art and a science, I suppose!
Mike
ps; air-flow is good!

[Trev]

It's not easy to roll but if you pick a thinner belly with good length then it's not so bad. Also, trimming the leading edge of the roll on a 45* angle makes for better contact when rolled. It takes a bit of patience and quite a few tight wraps of butchers twine, but once it's done right there shouldn't be any trouble with mould. I used several large tie-wraps to cinch the thing tight while I tied it every couple inches. That worked pretty well, then just cut off the tie-wraps when done.

[Qfan]

I used several large tie-wraps to cinch the thing tight while I tied it every couple inches. That worked pretty well, then just cut off the tie-wraps when done.

Great idea! Thanks for posting it! Necessity is indeed the mother of invention!!
Mike

[Kooper]

My last 2 pancettas went really well. I dried them unrolled so they dried pretty quickly. I have two more in my basement and I am looking forward to more great results.