Homemade Pancetta Recipe

Ingredients

• One 5-pound slab pork belly, skin removed
• For the dry cure
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons pink salt (see Note)
• 1/4 cup Morton’s kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons juniper berries, crushed with the bottom of a small saute pan
• 4 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper, divided