In small amounts, subcutaneous lard is very beneficial for your health. Due to the high content of essential fatty acids, biologically active substances and vitamins, it contributes to the maintenance of immunity and the general tone of the body, especially in the cold season. The most common ways of preparing bacon for future use is salting in a dry way or in brine. Lard in brine turns out to be especially tender, fragrant and does not deteriorate for a long time.
You will need:
- 2 kg fresh lard with skin
- 1 cup coarse salt
- 5 glasses of water
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 10 cloves of garlic
Salting lard must be chosen correctly. It should be white or slightly pinkish, with a thin skin and small layers of meat, without hard veins. The knife enters such fat without hindrance, like butter
Wash the fat with cold water, thoroughly clean the skin from dirt. Chill the food to make it easier to cut. Using a sharp knife, cut the bacon into small pieces 10–15 cm long and 5–6 cm thick. They will easily pass through the neck of a three-liter jar.
Prepare concentrated brine (brine). To do this, boil water, pour coarse salt into it and stir until completely dissolved. Cool the brine to room temperature.
The saturation of brine is checked using raw potatoes. If there is enough salt, it will float; if not, it will sink. In this case, add salt in small portions until the potato rises.
Prepare a clean 3 liter jar. Place pieces of bacon loosely in it, shifting them with bay leaves, pepper and garlic, chopped into slices. Pour the brine so that it completely covers the lard. Close with a plastic cover. Incubate at room temperature for 5-XNUMX days and refrigerate.
It is best to store ready-made bacon in brine. Before serving the dish, remove a few pieces from the jar and dry. Place them in the freezer for a short time to harden. Cut the salted lard into mouth-watering thin slices.
This method of salting lard at home differs from the previous one only in that it is faster. The product can be eaten after a couple of days.
Boil the brine, add spices (pepper, bay leaf, garlic) to it. In order for the salted bacon to acquire a beautiful color, pour about half a glass of thoroughly washed onion husks into the water.
Dip the prepared pieces of bacon in brine, bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the lard cool in the brine for 10-12 hours.
Remove the product from the brine and dry. Sprinkle with a mixture of spices (ground black or hot red pepper, paprika, herbs, etc.), cover with garlic slices. Wrap in foil, parchment, or a clean cloth and refrigerate overnight. Salted lard prepared according to this recipe can be stored in the freezer for a long time.
In the next article, you will find tips from chefs on how to make naval pasta.