Lonzino, Air Cured Pork Loin

4.5 from 8 votes

All lonza or lonzino is is air-cured pork loin, a lean cut that cures easily if you follow
these directions. It is best served as is, although it makes a great sandwich. You could also dice it
as a substitute for any of the Spanish ham recipes that call for diced Serrano ham (and there are a
lot of them). It is silky, only a little salty, and you get a hint of the spices that help cure the meat
with every bite. This is a subtle meat.

Prep Time Total Time

20 mins 20 mins

Course: Cured Meat Cuisine: Italian Servings: 1 lonzino Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients
1 length of pork loin, about 3 pounds
kosher salt (see above)
sugar (see above)
InstaCure No. 2 (see above)
10 grams black pepper
5 grams garlic powder
5 grams ground cloves
10 grams onion powder
8 grams dried thyme

Instructions
1. Mix all the dry ingredients. Rub them well into the loin, then put the meat into a plastic bag or
wrap with plastic wrap. This is to keep it from drying out. Keep the meat refrigerated for a
week to 12 days.
2. When the meat has firmed up, remove from the wrap, rinse it off and then let it dry on a rack
for 2 to 3 hours. I use a portable fan set on low to oscillate over the meat.
3. Truss the meat with kitchen twine (the white stuff) as you would a roast. Leave a long loop at
one end so you can hang the meat. You can also use pre-made sausage netting.
4. Hang the meat in a cool place to dry. It needs to be humid, about 70 percent humidity. How
long? At least another 12 days. It should feel firm throughout and be a pleasing red. How long
can you hang it? Up to six months or more, but it will become harder and drier the longer it
hangs. If you've found you have dried it too much, let it go all the way to hard-as-a-rock
stage. Then use a microplane grater to grate the dried meat over pasta or rice.
5. To store: Wrap tightly in butcher paper or, better yet, vacuum seal pieces of it – I cut the loin
into three chunks – and freeze. Unfrozen, it will last indefinitely in the fridge, but it will
continue to dry out.

Notes
NOTE: White mold is your friend. Green mold is no fun, and black mold is dangerous. At the first
sight of green or black mold, wipe down the meat with a cloth wetted with vinegar.