As a food preservative, sodium nitrate has received negative press, and some people prefer to use natural vegetable substitutions, such as celery seed. The celery plant needs a soil that is high in nitrogen to thrive, and the celery seeds found in the plant’s apex are rich in nitrates. The nitrates in celery seeds can be substituted for synthetic sodium nitrate in meat curing as long as vegetable nitrates approach between 0.2 and 0.35 percent. The fundamental uses of substituting celery seed for sodium nitrate in dry curing Italian pancetta remain intact: preventing bacterial growth like Clostridium botulinum and coloring the meat pink.
Homemade Pancetta
Step 1
Pour the dark brown sugar, black pepper, juniper berries and celery seed into a bowl and mix them with the pink and kosher salt. Rub the spice mixture evenly to coat the pork belly. Place the pork in an airtight container and immediately place it in the refrigerator.
Step 2
Refrigerate the pork for seven to 10 days. Rotate the container to re-coat and invert the pancetta every other day. Examine the meat at day seven to determine if the texture is firm. If the texture is still slightly soft, return the pork belly to the refrigerator for another one to three days.
Step 3
Rinse off the spice rub with cold water and pat the pancetta dry. Wrap the pancetta in cheesecloth and hang it with butcher's string in a cool, humid place for seven days -- a basement or kitchen will work if the temperature is below 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but you can also hang it in the refrigerator.
Step 4
Wrap the pancetta in plastic and store it in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. You can also freeze the pancetta for up to four months. The meat should have firm texture and slightly pinkish hue. When ready to eat, slice the pork thinly to serve and heat in a pan for seven to 12 minutes on medium to medium-low heat. Remove it from the pan and place it on a paper towel to drain.
Tips and Warnings
- High levels of nitrogen in the soil, either natural or added, increase the nitrate concentration in the celery plant. It is important to have sufficient nitrates and salt in the curing process to avoid microbial contamination. Also, if you find the pancetta is becoming hard while drying, move it to the refrigerator to begin.
- Step 4
- If pork is not handled in a sanitary manner and refrigerated properly, bacteria can flourish and contaminate it. Check the pancetta regularly for sour smells or soft appearance before you eat it. Replacing sodium nitrate with celery seeds does not completely eliminate the presence of nitrates and nitrites. Nitrates are ubiquitous chemical compounds that occur in vegetables, as well as animal products. Celery seeds contain natural nitrates that will be present in the cured meat product. Unlike sodium nitrate, celery seed contains antioxidant flavonoids and is considered a natural flavoring.
Things You'll Need
- Small mixing bowl
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons juniper berries
- 3 tablespoons freshly ground celery seed
- 2 teaspoons pink salt
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 5 pounds pork belly
- Airtight container
- 1 square foot cheesecloth
- 4 feet butcher’s string
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