Guanciale, Pig Cheek Bacon | Free Range, Dry Cured
- In stock, ready to ship
- Free Shipping Over £95
Description
Free Range Guanciale | Dry-Cured Pig Cheek Bacon, Rich & Perfectly Cured
Crafted from the finest free range pork, our Free Range Dry Cured Guanciale is a culinary treasure. Cured in a special blend of herbs and spices, this pig cheek bacon is prized for its intense flavour and silky texture. A favourite in classic Italian recipes like carbonara and amatriciana — its richness and depth bring exceptional taste to every dish. May arrive fresh or frozen depending on availability.
Why You'll Love It
🔥 Traditional Italian Favourite – Perfect for authentic carbonara, amatriciana or crisped up for breakfast.
🥩 Herb & Spice Cured – A unique curing blend that enhances the natural flavour and adds aromatic depth.
🌿 Free Range & Responsibly Sourced – From free range pigs on small UK farms that prioritise ethical farming and sustainability.
A Cut Above the Rest
Guanciale is prized for its incredible depth of flavour and melt-in-the-mouth texture. Unlike standard bacon, it delivers a richer, more intense taste that transforms dishes with just a few slices. Whether rendered down for pasta sauces or pan-fried for breakfast, it's an ingredient that makes everything better. Also explore our Blythburgh Smoked Back Bacon and Smoked Streaky Bacon for our cured bacon range.
Ingredients: Pork Cheek, Salt, Sugar, Preservative E250, Black Pepper, Spices.
Order Now
Order before 11am Tuesday to Friday for next-day delivery across the UK. Vacuum-packed and shipped in insulated packaging with ice packs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is guanciale?
Guanciale is Italian cured pig cheek — literally meaning "cheek" or "pillow" in Italian. It's cured with salt, black pepper and spices (but not smoked), then aged to develop an intensely savoury, slightly sweet flavour. The cheek has a different fat composition to belly, giving guanciale a richer, more complex flavour than pancetta or standard bacon. It's the authentic ingredient in both carbonara and amatriciana.
How do I use guanciale in carbonara?
Dice into small cubes or lardons. Cook in a dry pan over medium heat — no added oil needed — until the fat renders out and the meat is golden and slightly crisp. Remove the pan from the heat, add cooked pasta, a mixture of egg yolks and Pecorino Romano, and a splash of pasta water. Toss vigorously off the heat. Season with black pepper. Never use cream — the guanciale fat is the sauce.
Can I use it instead of bacon or pancetta?
Yes — guanciale is a direct upgrade from bacon or pancetta in any Italian pasta dish. Use it anywhere you'd use pancetta: carbonara, amatriciana, gricia, or simply crisped up alongside eggs for breakfast. The flavour is more intense and the fat renders more beautifully than standard bacon.
Where does the pork come from?
From free range pigs sourced from small, independent UK farms committed to ethical farming and sustainability.
Do you offer next-day delivery?
Yes — order before 11am Tuesday to Friday for next-day delivery across the UK mainland. Free delivery on orders over £95, otherwise £6.50.
Shipping & Storage Information
Shipping
We offer standard delivery services Wednesday - Saturday, the cut off point for next day delivery is 11am. Orders placed after this time can be scheduled for the day after, onwards.
Our boxes are designed to keep the chilled products at the right temperature for up to 72 hours from the time they leave our cold store. Boxes leave us at approximately 4pm each day and are then out for delivery between 8am to 6/7pm so are generally in transit for around 24 hours.
We strongly advise customers to download the DPD app for updates and to organise your "Safe Place" for where the delivery driver can leave your parcel in the event that you are not at your address.
Our deliveries are made on a "no signature required" basis. In the event that nobody is available to take delivery of your order at your delivery address or you ask us to leave your goods unattended at a secure place, Thomas joseph Butchery rejects all liability that may arise in consequence of the delivery being left unattended, including, without limitation, theft, tampering or contamination, however caused. It is your responsibility to be in on the day of delivery and have put in place arrangements for the delivery if you are not going to be at the address. To avoid any unforeseen issues, customers must add "delivery instructions" for where to leave the parcel, at the checkout stage.
The boxes do not need to be signed for but if there is nowhere to leave them, they will be taken back to the depot and you may need to collect the following day or accept delivery on the second day. If delivery is attempted and you are not there on day one we assume no liability after this first initial delivery attempt.
Delivery addresses must be put in correctly by the customer at the checkout. We do not assume any responsibility for goods sent to addresses that are not put in correctly and we do not alter any addresses unless asked specifically to do so by the customer in question either by email or over the phone, this must be done 24 hours before delivery. We hold no responsibility or liability for any goods sent to incorrect addresses that have been organised with our courier by the customer during transit, again it is the customer’s full responsibility to put in an address that is correct.
One hour delivery slots will be sent on the delivery date but no exact time can be given. While our courier does its best to deliver within the timeslot, delays may occasionally occur and claims cannot be made for deliveries received within 48 hours. We recommend choosing a delivery date at least one day ahead of when your order is required to avoid any potential disappointment.
If you have any special requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01277 373 656.
Storage
90% of our products are cut fresh and vacuum packed to give you as long a shelf life as possible, you will have 7 days from the packing date within which to use the meat. All vacuum packed products are issued with a use-by date and must be kept at 4 degrees or below once received. If you would like your products wrapped in paper, please just let us know during checkout.
The use-by-dates for paper wrapped products are as follows:
Beef, Lamb and Pork cuts: 3 days
Chicken, sausages, burgers and mince: 2 days
Our aim is for you to have the best meat products, delivered directly to your door. With that in mind, we’ve put together a simple go-to guide on what to do once you hear the doorbell ring.
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Unpack. We recommend placing your products on a baking rack in your fridge. Allowing the air to get to your meat will keep them from sweating and discourage bacteria growth. If vacuum packed, take your meat out the day before you want to use it.
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Store. Keep your meat away from other food, if you can, treat yourself to a whole shelf.
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Freeze. Freeze on the day of purchase and if vacuum packed, keep them that way. If not, place them in a bag with as little air as possible, try a zip-loc bag and squeeze out the air as you fasten it. Use within 6 months.
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Defrost. Defrosting in the fridge is the optimum way to go. Allow 24 hours and use within 24 hours of being defrosted.
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Enjoy. Go fourth and enjoy your wonderful meat! Don’t forget to take a snap and post it on insta or facebook and if you’re really happy, go tell your friends and leave us a review on google :).
Returns
If you are unsatisfied with anything in your order, please contact one of our team on 01277 373656Â and we will look into the matter for you. While we do not accept returns via post we are happy to look into anything. We would never send you anything that we would not eat ourselves and truly believe that our products are of superb quality. We take enormous pride in what we do and every issue very seriously, if something is wrong we shall endeavour to put it right.
