madbaker | What *did* you do with the rest of the pork cheeks a few weeks ago?

I'm glad you asked. This week's Resolution Recipe: Guanciale.

3 lbs pork cheeks
dry cure:
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp pink salt (Note: this is curing salt. Not pink-colored salt.)
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
4 Tbsp black pepper
4 bay leaves, crumbled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
ditto chopped rosemary

Combine the cure ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Rub all over the pork cheeks and place them in a large Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for 7 days, flipping and mooshing about every other day to redistribute the seasoning. (This is called "overhauling".)

Remove cheeks, rinse and pat dry. Wrap in cheesecloth and hang for 1-2 weeks, ideally at 50-60 F with 60% humidity.

What worked: They were okay.

What didn't: They weren't faboo. There was a lot of mold, but it was all powdery white mold. (Curing note: when it comes to mold, powdery white is fine, fuzzy and/or colored is bad.) I trimmed it off anyway. It didn't look like the cure penetrated far enough into the cheeks.

Will I make it again? Doubtful - If I want guanciale, I'll just buy it from Boccalone. If I have leftover pork cheeks I'll freeze them for future cooking use.