I adore guanciale, particularly from Smoking Goose (holla, @Corrie_Cook ) but since I’m the only one in the family who does (I do love my family, guanciale-related shortcomings and all) I have to plan accordingly. With my latest shipment of guanciale, I made pasta alla Gricia and Amatriciana, then used the final third to make what I’m now convinced is the ultimate use of guanciale: guanciale butter.
The method is simple. Cut your lardons on the smaller side, cook them as usual, but reserve about 4oz (uncooked weight) for this. Once cooked, set the smaller pieces aside and let a 4oz stick of butter come to room temperature. Combine the softened butter, guanciale pieces, and 1-2 tbsp of the rendered guanciale oil in a bowl, mash it all together, roll it into a log in parchment paper, and freeze.
From there, the uses are endless: melt a slice to fry your eggs, finish a steak, or toss with roasted vegetables. It delivers that deep guanciale richness on demand — no shipment required.
Definitely going to make some of this, thanks, though everyone in my household loves guanciale (lucky girl that I am). Mostly, I do the ghetto version: toss some rendered bacon fat and some butter in a pan together.
