Traditional Capicola

Name: Traditional Capicola Homemade Cured Pork
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: Pork coppa muscle 5 lbs. (2.2 kg) or well marbled piece of pork shoulder trimmed to shape; UMAi Dry Capicola Spice Blend for 5 lb Recipe; UMAi Dry Premixed Curing Salts Blend for 5 lb Recipe; Kosher Salt 3% to weight of meat; #2 Curing Salt 0.25% to weight of meat; Juniper berries, crushed 1 tbsp (4g); Sugar 2 tbsp (30g); Black pepper, coarsely ground 2 tbsp (4g); Bay leaves, crumbled 2 (2g); Freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 tsp (1g); Garlic, minced 2 cloves

Traditional capicola is an Italian dry-cured pork made from the coppa muscle, traditionally prepared in spring but achievable year-round at home using UMAi Dry curing salts and spice blends. This method produces authentic charcuterie in your refrigerator without special equipment.

🌍Italian 🏷️Capicola 🏷️Charcuterie 🏷️Fast recipes

Total

Servings

4

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$22–$36

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Umaidry · by UMAi Dry

Ingredients

Pork coppa muscle 5 lbs. (2.2 kg) or well marbled piece of pork shoulder trimmed to shape
UMAi Dry Capicola Spice Blend for 5 lb Recipe
UMAi Dry Premixed Curing Salts Blend for 5 lb Recipe
Kosher Salt 3% to weight of meat
#2 Curing Salt 0.25% to weight of meat
Juniper berries, crushed 1 tbsp (4g)
Sugar 2 tbsp (30g)
Black pepper, coarsely ground 2 tbsp (4g)
Bay leaves, crumbled 2 (2g)
Freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 tsp (1g)
Garlic, minced 2 cloves

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Instructions

1
If not using UMAi Dry’s Premixed Curing Salts Blend, weigh out correct ratio of #2 Curing Salt and Kosher salt
2
Mix salts and seasonings Rub into entire surface of meat.
3
Tuck into zipper bag or vacuum seal to cure in fridge for 14 days. Turn every couple days to maintain even coverage of cure over the entire surface of the meat.
4
Make sure meat surface is sticky-moist to create best bond with UMAi Dry® membrane.
5
Coat with any dry curing coating spices and tie to shape - Massage into surface to create the sticky coating needed to bond with membrane. - If making rolled pancetta, roll and tie. Re-moisten surface with water to assist meat to membrane bond
6
Choose your sealing method, check out our basics page for in-depth instructions
7
Take start weight and record target finish weight. Record both weights on the stickers provided.
8
Rest the sealed meat in refrigerator on open wire rack in in a modern frost free fridge to ensure excellent air circulation to entire meat surface.
9
Drying time depends on meat size. Meat should lose 35-40% of Direction Drying time depends on meat size. Meat should lose 35-40% of weight over 30-120 days.
10
Upon reaching target weight, peel away UMAi Dry. Wipe off any white mold with wine vinegar. Meat will be firm, dry and pleasantly aromatic.
11
Vacuum seal in storage bag for a week to equalize the moisture edge-to-edge.
12
Preserve texture and quality by refrigerating or freezing in vacuum storage bag.
13
Slice paper thin—and enjoy! Meat will be translucent and deeply colored.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Trim your pork coppa or shoulder into a consistent cylindrical shape before curing—this ensures even salt penetration and drying.
Weigh your meat precisely and calculate exact salt amounts by percentage; overuse of curing salt is a common mistake that ruins the final flavor.
Monitor humidity in your fridge during the drying phase; if condensation builds up, place the meat on a rack for better air circulation.
Pierce the finished capicola with a clean knife to check for a firm exterior and slight resistance at the center before slicing.

Substitutions

Pork coppa muscle → pork shoulder, well-marbled and trimmed (texture will be slightly coarser)
Juniper berries → 1/4 tsp juniper extract or omit for a cleaner cure (if unavailable)

Storage & make-ahead

Wrap finished capicola in butcher paper and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, or vacuum-seal and freeze for 3–4 months.

Equipment

UMAi Dry curing bag or butcher paper · kitchen scale (for precise salt measurement) · meat thermometer (optional, for monitoring) · refrigerator with stable temperature control

Common Questions

How long does it take to cure and dry homemade capicola?

Capicola requires multiple weeks of curing and drying time. The exact duration depends on the thickness of your meat and ambient humidity, typically 3-6 weeks total.

Can I make capicola without UMAi Dry products?

You can use traditional curing salts (kosher salt, pink curing salt #2, and spices listed), but UMAi Dry products are formulated to optimize home refrigerator curing conditions.

What temperature should my fridge be for curing capicola?

Standard refrigerator temperature of 35-40°F is ideal for capicola curing, as the recipe is designed for home fridge conditions.

Can I use pork shoulder instead of pork coppa muscle?

Yes, a well-marbled piece of trimmed pork shoulder works as a substitute when pork coppa is unavailable, though the texture and marbling may differ slightly.