I am making Pancetta for X-Mas gifts. This is my 2nd attempt.

Last year when I made it, everything worked well and it tasted great. There was one problem:

When I sliced it, the roll did not stay together as a roll and ended up as a spiral. That was not what I was hoping for.

The Question:

What can I put on the surface of the pork belly before I roll it tightly and tie it with string, that will work as a binder, so when I slice it will stay as rounds and not unravel? Some of my bellies a very thin, so there are several layers. The slices come out more like Pork Ribbon.

Tex_77 I know I need meat glue. I was assuming it would be something similar to what is added to salami to give it that firm texture, but I do not know what that is.

Joe Hell What I make is not technically a Pancetta. I make Bacon as X-Mas gifts. I buy Skin On Pork Bellies from my local supplier. They are the only ones available near where I live. In the box of bellies I buy, the majority of them are of thickness that works for bacon.

Some of the bellies in the box yield bacon slabs that are about ½ inch thick once the skin is removed. What I did last year with those thin bellies was to roll them up to look like Pancetta and tie them with string. Once they were tied in rolls I let them age for a week in the refrigerator before I slice them at about 3mm thick. They look great coming off the slicer, but when I go to use them they all just unwind.

I am hoping to find a powdered product that could be applied to the surface of those thin slabs that would work as a binder once they are rolled and tied to look like Pancetta. A true pancetta is not smoked, but my product is smoked.

Tex_77 Hey Tex, Are you in Texas? I live in Odessa, TX.