Many countries have their own national varieties of salted pork fat - lardo, bacon, pancetta and many others. It turns out that almost every nation has its own way of preparing it. Fat is salted pork fat, which is a national product of Ukraine and Russia. Rural residents still store this product in very large quantities.
Salo is one of such national dishes that have their own recipe for cooking in each individual family. There are also recipes that are passed on from generation to generation for a long time. Despite the fact that the main ingredients of this dish are pork fat and salt, there are many other nuances - how many days salt the lard in brine, what else to add and so on. Consider some recipes.
How to make salted lard
The most important thing in creating a tasty product is to take a very good and fresh piece of pork fat from a reliable source. Do not buy frozen convenience foods. Try to find a fresh farm product. For one of the classic recipes you will need:
- 1 kg of pork fat.
- 2 cups of sea salt.
- A few bay leaves and peppercorns.
- A handful of garlic cloves.
- 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes.
How to do it
In this case, salt the lard with brine in the cold way. Place the fat on a cutting board and leave it for an hour at room temperature. Pour a layer of salt about 1 cm thick in a glass jar. Lay pieces of bacon on it. Put a layer of bay leaf, peppercorns, red pepper flakes on top and pour a thick layer of salt on top. Pour in clear cold water so that the pieces are slightly covered. How many days to salt lard in brine in this way? The jar must be in the refrigerator for at least four days. Once this time is up, try the product. If you want to achieve a more salty taste, then you can stand it for a few more days.
Salting in own juice
This is another option for delicious salted lard in brine. In this case, it is not filled with water, and the brine is formed from the juices secreted by the product. The product prepared according to this recipe can then be processed by smoking. You will need the following:
- 1.5-2 kg of pork fat.
- Half a glass of sugar.
- 1 tablespoon molasses.
- 2 tablespoons of kosher salt.
- 1 teaspoon pickling salt.
- 1 teaspoon of freshly frozen black pepper.
How to salt lard in this way
This is one of the most delicious recipes for lard in brine, as it is prepared in its own juice. Rinse the fat and wipe it thoroughly. Cut any thin edges so that the piece is a uniform long rectangle.
In a small bowl, mix sugar with molasses. Then put 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, pickling salt and pepper. Lubricate a piece of fat evenly with this mixture, then put it in a glass container or jar, cover with a clean cloth on top. Put in the refrigerator and regularly press on the surface of the workpiece. You will see that a significant amount of fluid is released. How many days to salt lard in brine according to this recipe? Since other ingredients besides salt are used here, the aging period should be at least seven days. When this time passes, remove the fat from the can and inspect. It must be firm to the touch. If the flesh still appears spongy and soft, rub a piece with 2 more tablespoons of salt and refrigerate again for two days. When the lard is completely ready, drain all the liquid from it, rinse well and wipe the piece.
Salt Only Option
Of course, with salting, you can add any additional spices to provide your favorite taste and aroma. But the use of salt alone is considered classic. In this case, we salt the lard in a jar in a hot brine. Such a product is easy to prepare. Subsequently, it can be used in many dishes. In this case, you need to accurately weigh the fat that you want to prepare, because you need to calculate the correct proportion of salt. It will require 30 grams per kilogram of fat, as well as 500 ml of water.
Cut the fat so that you have even and evenly sized pieces. You can remove or leave the skin (at your discretion). Weigh the salted fat. Calculate the required amount of water, pour it into the pan and boil. Add salt and completely dissolve it, stirring thoroughly. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. The brine should be hot, but not boiling water. Put slices of pork fat in a clean jar and fill with prepared hot liquid. Wait for the brine to cool and place the container in the refrigerator. How many days to salt lard in brine? Wait five days, and then inspect and try the finished product. If the lard is ready, rinse it and dry it.
Dried harvesting for the winter
As a rule, salting of products is carried out in order to preserve them for a long time. So that fat can be stored longer, it is advisable not only to salt it, but also to dry it. This is very simple, and the result will pleasantly surprise you. How to salt lard in brine for the winter? For longer storage, it is advisable to add a little sodium nitrite to the product. This substance inhibits the development of mold spores, and also gives the product a beautiful pinkish tint. In addition, the lard will become slightly sweet. This substance can be found on sale under the name "pink salt" (do not confuse it with Himalayan pink salt).
Some people think this is the most delicious brine recipe. Perhaps this is due to the fact that this instruction does not have a clear recipe. The main thing is to observe the proportions of water and salt. It should be added 75-100 grams for every 500 ml of liquid. You can measure the right amount with a tablespoon, which contains 25 grams of salt. The required amount of sodium nitrite must be calculated by following the instructions on the package. The amount of sugar in the recipe is not indicated anywhere. You can add it or not (at your discretion). You can also put garlic, pepper, bay leaf, caraway seeds and so on in brine.
How to salt fat for the winter
Make a brine by mixing water, salt, pink salt (nitrite) and sugar (or other additives of your choice). Heat the mixture over moderate heat in a saucepan, stir everything until completely dissolved. Turn off the fire. Cut lard into pieces of the same size and thickness. Fold it in a clean jar and fill with brine. Remove air bubbles (by vigorously stirring the liquid with the handle of a spoon) and close tightly. Put in the refrigerator and keep it there for five days. Stir brine daily to evenly redistribute all the juices. Once five days have passed, take out the product and check for availability. If lard can be eaten, rinse it well under running water and wipe with paper towels. Lay it on a grate covered with clean paper and leave it in a well-blown place for a while. A sticky layer should form on the surface, and the flesh should dry out somewhat. Such salty and dried lard can be stored for a very long time.
Another option for lard in your own juice
We offer another recipe on how to salt lard in brine. Step by step, this instruction looks very simple: you need to process the fat with salt and sugar and then wait for the natural brine to form on its own juice. You will need the following:
- Fresh pork fat of good quality.
- Fine sugar - about 3 glasses.
- Coarse sea salt - about 6 glasses.
How to salt lard in your own juice
Mix sugar and salt. Generously grate lard with this mixture, on all sides. Put it in a jar and fill it with the remaining salt-sweet mixture. Press everything well, cover with a cloth and place a heavy object on top as a press. Leave in the refrigerator for a day. The next day you will see that the lard has started juice. Strain it, sprinkle the fat again with a mixture of salt and sugar, and top with filtered brine. Put it back in the refrigerator. Repeat this process for 10 days. The amount of brine will increase in this case - do not pour it out, strain it and add to the lard. Once the product is ready to eat, rinse and dry it. This fat can be eaten in this form, but if you wish, you can dry it or soak it.
Onion peel option
This recipe for salting is also a classic recipe. At the same time, the finished product acquires a specific aroma and shade. How to salt lard in onion brine? To do this, you need the following:
- 500 grams of pork fat.
- 1 liter of water.
- 1 cup of salt.
- Husk from about ten bulbs.
- Favorite spices to your taste (garlic, pepper, caraway seeds and so on).
Salt lard in brine with onion peel
Pour water into the pan, heat and add salt. Bring to a boil, stir until completely dissolved. Put onion peel and simmer the brine for about five minutes. Add lard directly to boiling water (it should be completely covered with water). Reduce the heat, adjust the slow boil and simmer for about ten minutes. Turn off the stove and leave everything under the lid for another 15 minutes. Then remove the lard, put on a plate and press with a press to squeeze out excess brine. Let it cool completely.
Prepare the spices at this time. For example, garlic needs to be peeled and cut into small pieces, crushed peas and caraway seeds with a knife, crumble the bay leaf. Once the piece of fat has cooled, make small cuts in it over the entire surface. Rub it with a mixture of prepared seasonings so that part of them gets into the incisions. After that, wrap a piece of foil and place in the freezer. In this form, it can be stored for a long time. The longer it lies, the more aromatic it will become. You can eat it directly in frozen form by cutting it with a thin knife into thin plates. Serve best on brown bread.