Bacon's Italian Cousins

     Bacon, Pancetta, Prosciutto.  They all look alike, taste similar and are often substituted for each other.  But each one has a distinctive characteristic.  Here's how to differentiate the three:

Bacon-Is made from pork belly, the underside of a pig.  The meat is cured with salt and the raw meat is cold smoked using a variety of woods like apple, maple or hickory.  It is then cooked and used as a breakfast meat or to flavor other dishes.

Pancetta-Like bacon, pancetta is also made from pork belly and is also cured with salt.  But spices can also be included to give it a certain flavor.  It isn't smoked and is considered raw meat that, like bacon, needs to be cooked before being consumed.

Prosciutto-Made from the hind leg (ham) of the pig, it is cured in a different fashion.  It is rubbed with salt and spices to draw out the moisture and concentrate the flavor while the ham slowly air dries anywhere from a few months to several years.  Once cured it is then thinly sliced and eaten uncooked.