Although it is generally accepted that lard is purely Ukrainian food, no one will refuse to eat a piece of soft, tender, with grains of salt, and a black loaf, of course. Therefore, it can be argued: salt is an international dish, widespread among the Slavs, and they consume it in different forms: raw, boiled, fried, smoked. Here we will talk about smoked meats.
Choose fat for smoking
- For this, it is pork fat that is primarily suitable. It “passes” well with smoke and acquires the necessary softness and appropriate taste. Hot smoking of bacon is preferable to cold, because more likely high-quality preparation of the product, and it will last longer. And the taste of this fat is much more pleasant.
- The sebaceous layer should be thick enough - at least three fingers. Otherwise, the pulp will be stiff, fibrous, and this will not add to the pleasure of eating. You can try the quality like this: stick a sharp knife into the piece. It enters easily, as if in oil - which means it fits. And if with difficulty - it has a lot of fibers and stiffness.
- Hot smoked bacon will acquire a special relish if there are layers of meat in the pulp. Successfully smoked, it will become a real delicacy and a “nail” of any table.
- Do not smoke all cooked lard at once. In each run it will be correct to process approximately one and a half kilograms.
Necessary components
In order for smoked bacon to please the final result, besides it, you need large
rock salt (not iodized, but plain!), Garlic (from two medium-sized cloves to the head), bay leaf (at least 5-6 pieces), ground black pepper (1-2 teaspoons), a little mustard powder, boiled water. You need to smoke on chips and sawdust from alder or another tree, but be sure to stock up on chips of fruit trees. Best cherry and apple. Pear, apricot, etc. are also suitable.
Cooking process
Smoking fat begins with a thorough washing of the prepared pieces under running water. Then it is cut into pieces, the thickness of which does not exceed five centimeters or a little more. Too large to take is not recommended, they are not saturated with smoke properly.
The bars are rubbed with garlic. You can crush the teeth with a garlic ladder, you can chop it with a knife - as you wish. In the first case, the lard is saturated with aroma and pungency to a greater extent. Then it is also generously coated with pepper and mustard. Bay leaves should be crushed and sprinkled with them prepared pieces. Sprinkle with coriander peas. Or to roll the prepared fat in a ready seasoning for Korean carrots - the aroma will be wonderful, and the taste too.
Smoked lard is produced on the pickled product. Therefore, first it should be placed in the marinade. To do this, 4 tablespoons of soda are poured with a small amount of boiled water. A little of this saturated solution is distributed in the pan to the bottom, lard is placed on it. The salt solution is again on top, evenly over all the pieces. Bacon is marinated for 4-5 days, in a cellar or refrigerator.
Then it is removed, washed again. Each piece can be wrapped with string so that they do not break out under the influence of heat. And so that the flesh does not blacken and does not get dirty in soot, they are additionally wrapped in gauze. Then put on the grate of the smokehouse.
Smoking fat requires a lot of smoke. Therefore, wood chips should be well moistened with water. Then they are placed at the bottom of the smokehouse mixed with stored sawdust. In order not to lose fat, which will be drowned from fat during smoking, a pan is placed under the grate. Then the appliance closes, and a small fire starts under the smokehouse. It is important to maintain it in this state: with high heat, the fat will be too drowned or charred. Slivers, of course, should smoke heavily.
The process should last 40 minutes or less - depending on the thickness of the product. The fat is smoked with smoke, the temperature of which should not be lower than 55 degrees and not higher than 70.
Then the finished fat is removed from the grill and placed on a flat surface so that the pieces are cooled. If desired, the bars can be additionally sprinkled with red pepper to give the product a sharpness and aroma. And enjoy the resulting dish.