meat

Guanciale

Guanciale (Gwan-cha-lay) comes from the pig's jowl and consists of delicate fat and ribbons of earthy meat throughout.

Rich, Silky

Watch your fat back, bacon! There's another cheeky slice making the scene whose sole, plump purpose in your kitchen is to turn sow's ears into silky, succulent purses. Originally a delicacy in Umbria, La Quercia's Iowa-bred meat is simply seasoned with rosemary, black and white pepper, and sea salt. It's a traditional staple that you'll want to keep on hand once you've tried it. Depending on how you're using guanciale, you may want it sliced thinly or whole to cut into chunks. With that in mind, we'll ship you a 1/2 pound piece whole that you can slice at home with a sharp chef's knife or cut into chunks. Since it's so rich, it pairs well with big red wines that can stand up to the flavors it deepens. It's best used in cooking, particularly traditional Italian favorites like spaghetti alla carbonara and pasta all'amatriciana, and adds an extra-luxurious texture to sauces and stews.

Quick Facts

  • Species Name

    Pork

  • Harvest Method

    Pastured

  • Range & Habitat

    Midwest United States

  • Producer

Seasonality
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Year Round

Range & Habitat

about the fishery

Murray's Cheese

Founded in 1940 by Murray Greenberg, Murray's Cheese is proud to be a Greenwich Village tradition and part of the neighborhood's rich food history, along with neighboring destinations like Faicco's Ottomanelli's and Rocco's. It's a pretty safe bet to say that we're cheese obsessed: our goal is to find the most delicious cheese and specialty grocery items from across the globe, teach you a bit about them, and then make sure you enjoy them.

Murray Greenberg was a Jewish veteran of the Spanish Civil War who built a great reputation for the business. In the 70s, Murray sold the shop to his clerk Louis Tudda, an Italian immigrant from Calabria. In those days, it was a humble butter and eggs shop that sold a lot of block cheeses and catered to neighborhood's Italian neighbors.

Rob Kaufelt bought Murray's in 1991 and began traveling the globe, finding new and undiscovered cheeses and bringing them back to the U.S. Our team still travels regularly in Europe and across the U.S. in search of new and great artisan cheeses - from California to Vermont, Athens to Wales - and everywhere in between.

In our 75+ year history, Murray's has evolved into a world-renowned specialty food destination that offers the finest selection of cheese, meat, and grocery items. The main thing that makes Murray's special is our passion for cheese - and we love to share it with our friends and customers. 

Need The Impossible In The Eleventh Hour?

L O A D I N G