Do you know what fat is? Surely there are no such people who have never tried the product mentioned.
We will talk about what the ingredient in question is, what properties it has and how to make it at home, in this article.
general information
What is fat? This is animal fat, which is deposited under the skin, namely in the abdominal cavity, near the kidneys. Functionally, this part of the carcass is considered as a consistent nutritional reserve. It consists mainly of triglycerides, and also contains a huge amount of fatty acid residues (saturated).
Features of the name and application
What is fat and is it possible to eat it? Culinary experts claim that such a product is very often used in their practice.
Salo animal is eaten fresh, smoked, salted, boiled, fried and stewed. In some cases, this already cooked product (for example, salted or salted-smoked) is called the foreign word "bacon". However, in everyday life it is most often called simply - salted or smoked bacon.
A product of animal origin with numerous and large meat veins can be called podchereva, and in salted form - brisket or bacon.
Small pieces of fried bacon often have cracklings.
The product in question after the furnace is called lard and is used as cooking oil. It should be noted that in European countries this fat is used to grease bread intended for a sandwich. In addition, melted animal fat can be used for technical purposes. They lubricate various parts of machines and more. Often this type of processed product is allowed to make soap.
Fat tail mutton is very often used to prepare various traditional dishes of Central Asia.
As for goat and beef fat, they are not taken separately. This is due to their refractoriness.
In America, beef fat waste is very often converted into fuel.
Badger and bear fat are used as medicines, and mink oil - for the manufacture of cosmetics.
Calorie content of the product
Now you know what fat is. It should be noted that this product is very high in calories. 100 grams contain about 750 kcal. At the same time, carbohydrates are completely absent in it.
Product Harm and Benefit
The benefits and harms of fat are discussed by many experts. And most often they talk about pig fat.
Pork fat, the composition of which will be examined right now, accumulates and retains many different biologically active substances, fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants. It is these components that determine its beneficial properties.
The product in question contains vitamins E, A, F and D, as well as trace elements (including selenium) and fatty acids (unsaturated and saturated). The most valuable acid of this fat is arachidonic. It has a range of beneficial effects. This component improves blood composition, removing cholesterol from it, as well as the work of the brain and heart. In addition, it favorably affects the condition of the kidneys. It should also be noted that the beneficial properties of fat are greatly enhanced when used together with garlic.
Pork fat, the composition of which everyone should know, is a source of essential essential fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, stearic). The lecithin that is contained in this product has a beneficial effect on cell membranes and blood vessels, strengthens them, and also makes them more elastic.
As for the harm of fat, it consists in its high calorie content. Therefore, to obtain all the useful properties of the product, it is very important to use it correctly. It is desirable to give your preference to pickled or salted fat. But it is better to refuse a smoked, fried or melted product. Such snacks will not benefit.
Animal Fat Selection
To make a delicious homemade bacon, recipes with photos of which are presented in this article, you must choose it correctly.
When buying this product, you should pay special attention to the following features:
- it is better to choose this ingredient with a skin;
- the product must be resilient, uniform and dense;
- very tasty fat is usually found in female animals;
- the cut should have a snowy white or slightly pinkish color.
It should also be noted that fat with meat streaks is better to cook or smoke.
Tasty homemade lard: recipe for cooking
To prepare such a product, we need:
- raw lard with skin - about 1 kg;
- fresh garlic cloves - about 10 pcs.;
- bay leaves - 4 pcs.;
- table salt - about 4 large spoons;
- black peppercorns - 3 dessert spoons;
- ground paprika - 2 large spoons;
- cumin - 1 dessert spoon;
- ground chili pepper - 5 g.
Cooking process
In the preparation of delicious homemade lard, there is nothing complicated. A piece of pork fat with a skin should be washed, then dried with paper towels and divided into two layers. Then they should be placed on the board with the skin peeled down and a few cuts 2-3 mm deep.
Having cleaned the cloves of garlic, they are very finely chopped. Having laid them on the surface of the fat, the product is actively pressed directly into the incisions. Also in a hotel bowl mixed shredded bay leaves and black peppercorns are mixed. In addition, salt and some caraway seeds are added to them. After mixing the ingredients, they sprinkle abundantly with all the lard.
At the very end, flavored pork fat with hot pepper and ground paprika.
Having carried out the described actions, the pieces of bacon are gently spread on the foil and make sure that the seasoning does not wake up. Wrapping the product tightly, they put it in the refrigerator for two weeks.
As soon as the lard is salted, it is cleaned of seasonings, chopped and served to the table with bread. If this product is left after a meal, then it is stored in a freezer.
Salt lard in brine
Every housewife must know the recipe for the most delicious bacon in brine. Indeed, without such an unusual snack almost no meal is complete.
To make the product in question yourself, you need to prepare:
- pork fat with layers of meat - at its discretion (about 1 kg);
- onion husk - from 7-10 heads;
- black peppercorns - about 4-6 pcs.;
- bay leaves - about 3-4 pcs.;
- cloves of garlic - about 5-6 pcs.;
- drinking water - 1 l;
- table salt - about 1 cup.
Cooking method
How should salt be salted in brine? To do this, pour salt into a pan, add water, and then bring to a boil. Having laid onion husk in the dishes, it is cooked on low heat for about five minutes. Next, the previously prepared pork fat with layers of meat is placed in the resulting brine. In this case, the liquid should completely cover the lard.
After reducing the heat, the ingredient in question should be boiled for about 10 minutes. Over time, the pan is removed from the fire, covered with a lid and left in this form for 1/4 hours.
After 15 minutes, a piece of pork fat is removed and dried with paper towels. At the same time, peel the garlic and then chop it together with the lavrushka. Also crushed black pepper peas.
After the described actions, all prepared spices are rubbed into the lard, in which several shallow cuts are made previously. Tightly wrapping pig fat with cooking foil, it is cleaned in the freezer. To use such a product is allowed only after it is completely frozen.
The described method of salting pork fat is called hot salting. However, it is possible to make such a product at home through cold salting. To do this, prepare a similar brine, which is pre-cooled to a temperature of 2-4 degrees. A piece of fat is put in it and crushed by oppression. Having closed the brine with fat cover, it is kept in this form for several hours. Further actions are similar.