How to properly salt lard at home - the best way

How to choose lard for salting?

I never buy pieces with layers of meat. Lard is one thing, but meat is completely different. It will not make it softer, and will increase the risk of the presence of parasites. Trichinella larvae and helminths do not live in lard, but easily in meat layers. Meat requires heat treatment, and salted lard is safe without it.

I take the product from the market, from the farmer. I draw attention to the presence of seals on the carcasses; I do not hesitate to ask to see the veterinary control documents.

I'll definitely smell a piece. It should smell nice (like kebab!). So good it will make your mouth water!

Run your hand over the skin. There should be no stubble on it. It would be good if it was removed using burning straw (this is where the smell comes from).

The uncut carcass is processed in different ways. Sometimes it is covered with straw and set on fire. You can tell by the soot that will definitely remain on the surface. And by the smell!

Why is it important? Because with this method, the skin is slightly saturated with melted fat. This will not happen if the bristles were removed in a different way.

The thickness of the skin depends on the age of the animal and its location on the surface. This is not the main criterion. If the carcass was processed correctly (in straw), then after salting the skin will be soft. If not, then only the so-called “hot method” will help. I don’t consider this pickling, so I won’t dwell on it. Making “half-cooked” lard is not in my rules.

Color . It should be white or pinkish. In no case is it gray or yellowish.

Thickness _ Some people think that thin pieces will taste better. Others say that the thick stuff won’t be salted. I proceed from experience and market prices: the thinner, the cheaper, with all that it implies.

The skin from the abdominal part is usually more tender, but the layer there is thinner. This option is not suitable. We want to get “marmalade” as a result, and not nodules that will get stuck between the teeth.

And here we come to the main thing: the best lard is from the back . Not from the neck, not from the sides or lumbar part, but from the back. When ready, it is soft, does not “stretch”, and is easy to bite off along with the bread.

How to identify this miracle on the counter? That's how:

• There are no meat layers on it.
• The pieces are large, rectangular in shape, with smooth edges.
• Thickness 5-7 cm.

Look carefully at the cut: good lard will not resemble a layer cake. It should have a uniform structure, without “folds”, dents or other irregularities.

Just like home (or even better)

Finally we go to the second room. With those same European-style separate places. The dining room in the dining room has several small tables with four chairs. So, a small company can still form. There are short translucent curtains with large orange polka dots on the clean plastic windows. On the white walls there are small paintings with images of products and ready-made dishes.

On the farm of Evgeniy Dolgov.

Irina Pergaeva.

Apparently, illustrations are also needed to put pressure on something that hurts—hunger. From 8 to 40 people are saved from it here every day. It all depends on how many people want to please themselves with local cuisine.

At the beginning of the day, the head of the farm hands over to the canteen a list indicating how many hungry mouths will arrive today. Each lunch costs no more than one hundred rubles. At the end of the month, the total amount for all meals is deducted from the employee's salary.

The official opening hours of the establishment are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. From 13 to 14 lunch, and from 18 to 19 dinner. However, everything can change depending on the workload of workers. And its level, in turn, is dictated by weather conditions.

Sometimes field workers simply do not go to their “camp” for rest, but take food with them in thermoses. They are carefully collected by the cooks, whom visiting men affectionately call “girls.” These are two women in colorful aprons who dominate the pots and stoves. While lunch was being prepared, we were allowed into the sacred room to observe the process.

On the farm of Evgeniy Dolgov.

Irina Pergaeva.

You can only pass through the doorway by bending down, as if becoming a gnome - he is so low. And inside turn back into a human. The atmosphere here, as in the other two rooms, is homely and cozy. Not far from the entrance there is a TV broadcasting some series.

On low wooden shelves are spices, milk powder and other small products with which the housewife can turn an ordinary dish into an almost Michelin-starred one. They cook here from regular store-bought ingredients.

On the stoves, as if still inspected by the Union, but sparkling clean, there are huge pots. Sparkling so much that you can see your reflection in them. Cook Anastasia Korolkova takes out two packs of pasta cones from the bins and, tearing the bag, sends the contents to float in boiling water.

On the farm of Evgeniy Dolgov.

Irina Pergaeva.

A little further there are two ovens. There the chicken legs are already browned and tantalizing with an alluring smell. Stirring the pasta swimmers with a wooden spoon, the woman says:

We do not provide orders, but the menu is different every day and is not repeated. We combine meat and fish in different forms with side dishes. Meatballs with buckwheat, fish with rice. Today, here's pasta and chicken. The first course is a must for lunch. For dinner, we serve only the second course. And we always put bread and lard on the table - at the expense of the establishment. It doesn't seem like anything special, but everyone likes the food. They always thank you.

How to salt lard at home?

Everything is simple here. If the previous quest is completed correctly, you will not need any tricks. Procedure:

1. Run the piece under the tap in warm water to remove debris.
2. Place on a flat surface.
3. Use a large sharp knife to make longitudinal cuts. Back off 3-4 cm. Reach the skin, but do not cut it.
4. Take 1 or 2 kg of coarse salt. Carefully pour it into the cuts, treat the sides, top and bottom. There is no need to rub anything special! The crystals will stick to the wet surface on their own.

Place a layer of NaCl on the bottom of the plastic bag. Put lard on it. Sprinkle salt on top too. Wrap tightly so that the entire surface is covered with a thick layer of crystals. Keep it in a warm place for a day, then put it in the refrigerator. I keep it in the vegetable compartment.

You should not put the semi-finished product in the freezer. In the cold, the process of penetration of NaCl into the thickness slows down. And there is no point in keeping a ready-made snack in the cold. In a salted state, it will not deteriorate without this.

How long after can I try?

It is important to understand here: we add salt not for taste, but so that the lard is safe for health. Don’t believe that you can eat it in a day, three days or a week. I won’t give exact dates. It all depends on the temperature, the thickness of the fat layer, the age and even the diet of the animal.

In order not to guess “on the coffee grounds,” cut a piece after some time and carefully taste the inside with your tongue. Salty - ready, no - wait.

I usually keep it for three weeks . The farmer from whom I take pork once said that this would be correct, and according to GOST you need to wait 21 days. I didn’t find the standard, but I took my word for it. Moreover, this coincides with my observations.

Here it would be useful to remember the school physics course. Salting occurs due to diffusion. We have two solids. The molecules of one of them must penetrate between the molecules of the other. Do you think three to five days will be enough for this? And in the cold, where the speed of molecules slows down? I think not. But a month is more like the truth.

Best Recipes

Any recipe for salting lard includes only available products. Standard spices are usually used. Anyone can salt lard at home quickly and tasty. Standard recipes are understandable even to novice housewives. Cooking does not take much time.

In Belarusian

Many housewives like salting in Belarusian style. The finished snack turns out very aromatic and tender. It goes well with rye bread. For preparation you need:

• 1 kg of bacon;
• 500 g regular table salt;
• 8 cloves of garlic;
• 2 tbsp. freshly ground pepper;
• 1 tbsp. coriander;
• 1-2 tbsp. cumin.

You don’t have to worry that the garlic will make the appetizer spicy. It is this that gives the dish an unforgettable taste and aroma. The lard will not become hotter than necessary. You can use garlic without any worries.

To prepare the appetizer, garlic is cut into small cubes. Mix them with cumin, pepper, coriander. The resulting mass is thoroughly mixed. Leave the spicy mixture for a few minutes. At this time, you can start preparing the lard. To do this, the ingredient is cut into pieces.

The resulting random pieces of lard are rubbed with a spicy mixture. This needs to be done on both sides. In this form, the product is placed in a suitable deep container and covered with a plate on top. We put something heavy on top of it. The workpiece is left to salt for 3 days. First, the plate should be at room temperature. After 3 days, the container is placed in the refrigerator for a day and only after that the snack will be completely ready for consumption.

In Ukrainian

The Ukrainian snack recipe is no less tasty. The finished dish goes well with borscht. These 2 dishes complement each other. To prepare the snack you will need:

• 1 kg of bacon;
• 5-8 pcs sweet peas;
• 3 clove inflorescences;
• 3-5 bay leaves;
• 5 cloves of garlic;
• 1 liter of water;
• salt.

The bacon is cut into pieces measuring 5 by 8 cm. It is sent to a jar along with spices and salt. Additionally, coarsely chopped garlic is placed in the container.

Place water on the stove and add salt. It needs to be completely dissolved. The liquid is boiled for 3 minutes. Cool the brine for about 10 minutes. After this, it is poured into a jar. It is covered with a lid and sent to a cool room. After a day, the jar is placed in the refrigerator for 2 days.

The finished snack is stored in brine and removed as needed. The bacon is cut into thin slices and served with borscht, potatoes or slices of rye bread.

In Hungarian

This salting method is very different from the standard one. This is due to the use of paprika. It also gives the snack an attractive color on the outside. She looks very tasty. For preparation you will need:

• 1 kg of lard;
• 0.5 kg salt;
• 15 g dried garlic;
• 10 g red hot pepper;
• 30 g paprika.

You can buy Hungarian-style lard in the store, but it’s much more pleasant to make it yourself. The finished dish will be much tastier than its store-bought counterpart.

This recipe requires lard without a meat layer. It is cut into pieces and rolled in salt. The lard is left in this form for a day. After this, it is placed in the refrigerator for 2 days.

After 2 days, the bacon is taken out, the salt is removed and a few millimeters are cut off on each side. Separately mix the dry ingredients, namely pepper and paprika, as well as dry garlic. Pieces of lard are rolled in this mixture.

Each piece is wrapped in a sheet of parchment. In this form, the snack is placed in the freezer. After a day, you can use it for consumption or add it to various dishes.

In the bank

It is convenient to salt lard in a jar. Glass is best for preparing snacks. Delicious recipe in a jar includes:

• 1 kg of lard;
• 150 g salt;
• 0.5 liters of water;
• 1 garlic;
• 1 tbsp. ground pepper.

Lard is cut into large pieces. The garlic is peeled and passed through a press. The water is brought to a boil. After this, it is cooled a little.

Pour water into a jar and add garlic, pepper, and salt. The mixture is thoroughly mixed and lard is added to it. It is left for 2 days. After this, the jar is placed in the refrigerator for another 3 days. The pickled lard is then removed, dried a little and wrapped in foil. In this form it is stored in the refrigerator.

In onion skins

The lard in onion skins turns out incredibly tasty. The peculiarity of this recipe is that it gives the appetizer a pleasant brownish color. To prepare the dish you will need:

• 600 g of lard with layers of meat;
• 1 kg of onion, from which you will only need the peel;
• 3 tbsp. salt;
• 10 pieces of bay leaf;
• 1 head of garlic;
• black and red pepper to taste.

The husk is first rinsed in water and then brought to a boil. The amount of product taken requires about 1.5 liters of water. Salt is also added there and cooked for about 5 minutes.

The lard is washed and dipped in paper towels. It is randomly cut into pieces. It is recommended that the weight of each does not exceed 300 g. The lard is sent to the husk. It is necessary that the water completely covers the meat product. If this is not the case, then you can add boiled water.

The bacon is boiled for 25 minutes with the husk, and then allowed to cool. Separately, you need to prepare the marinade. To do this, mix pepper with chopped garlic and bay leaf.

The dried lard is rubbed with marinade and left for 12 hours. The finished snack has a pleasant aroma and unforgettable taste.

In the marinade

You can use the marinade for pickling. The garlic version is especially good. To prepare it you need:

• 400 g lard;
• 4 cloves of garlic;
• 700 ml water;
• 3 pcs allspice;
• 5 pcs peppercorns;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 1 tsp mustard seeds;
• 120 g salt.

You need to take a pan and pour salt, pepper, bay leaf and mustard seeds into it. Water is poured into the container and put on fire. The water should be brought to a boil. After this, the fire is reduced to a minimum. After 5 minutes, remove the pan from the stove and wait for the liquid to cool slightly.

Chopped unsalted lard is placed in a jar or very deep pan. The marinade is poured into it, and then chopped garlic is added. It is important that the liquid covers the future snack completely. The container is closed and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for three days.

The finished lard is removed from the marinade. It is dried to get rid of any remaining liquid. The snack is placed in the freezer for 10 minutes and after that it can already be cut. It is completely ready for use.

In brine

Brine is a brine solution. It is used for salting not only bacon, but also many other products. To get a snack in the brine you will need:

• 1500 g lard;
• 1 glass of salt;
• garlic;
• bay leaf and pepper to taste.

First of all, you need to prepare the brine. To do this, pour 5 glasses of water and 1 glass of salt into a container. Place the container on the fire until it boils. The lard is washed and dried with paper towels.

Garlic is crushed using a press or knife. They need to grate each portion of the bacon and put it in a jar. Bay leaves and peppercorns are placed between the pieces. The container is filled with already cooled brine.

The container covered with a towel is infused for 4-6 days. The finished lard is stored in the freezer and taken out as needed.

In the box

One of the oldest methods is salting lard in a wooden box. You can make it yourself or purchase it to order. To prepare lard, replaceable cardboard is placed at the bottom of the container.

Lay a large piece of fabric on top of the cardboard so that you can also cover the bacon with it and sprinkle it with plenty of salt. Medium-sized pieces of lard are placed at the bottom of the box. Garlic cloves are inserted into the previously made cuts. Bay leaves, peppercorns and other additives are also added there if desired.

The lard is covered with a thin layer of cloth. It is sprinkled with salt and the next layer of salt is laid out.

The box of lard is stored in a cool place. You can keep it in the basement until spring arrives. The bacon is ready to eat in a week.

In the oven in foil

Lard turns out especially tasty in the oven. In addition, the ready-made version is also unusual, since most often lard is used only in salted form. To prepare a dish in the oven you will need:

• 2 kg of bacon;
• 300 g adjika;
• salt.

Before cooking, lard is thoroughly washed. After this, the bacon is dipped in paper towels. You can cut it into large pieces. Each of them is carefully coated with adjika. You can also additionally add your favorite spices. The bacon is placed under pressure for 2 days. A couple of hours before baking, the lard should be salted.

Each piece is wrapped in foil and sent to the oven for baking. Cook the bacon at a temperature of 200-220 degrees for 15 minutes. The larger the pieces, the longer they bake. After the lard is ready, pour over the separated fat.

In water

You can salt lard in water using the express method. In this case, the snack will be on your table earlier than if you used traditional cooking methods. To quickly get tasty lard you need:

• 1 liter of water;
• 4 tbsp. salt;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 5 bay leaves.

This amount is enough for 1 kg of bacon. To taste, you additionally need to take allspice, ground and red. Spices are added to the water. The mixture is stirred and put on fire. After boiling, add lard and boil for another 5 minutes after boiling.

After 15 minutes, when the water is already warm, add chopped garlic to the pan. The container is sent to the cold. After a day, you can already evaluate the taste of the snack.

In the package

The most delicious recipe for boiled lard involves using a package. In this case, the bacon is cooked in its own juice, which makes it much tastier. To prepare lard in a bag you need:

• 1-1.5 kg of brisket;
• 2-3 tbsp. salt;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper;
• 0.5 tsp red pepper;
• 1 tsp khmeli-suneli;
• 3 bay leaves.

The lard is first rubbed with mixed spices. Additionally, the bacon is sprinkled with chopped bay leaves. The lard is put into a bag and tied. It is important that it is whole. It is necessary that water does not get there.

If desired, the lard in the bag can be placed in the refrigerator for 2 hours. This will give it the opportunity to soak in the spices and become even tastier. After this, the bag is placed in a pan of water. Boil it for 2 hours. If necessary, add water. The finished, cooled lard is placed in the refrigerator for 8 hours. The product is ready to use.

With garlic

Lard is prepared not only with spices, such as pepper and cardamom, but also with garlic. You can prepare the dish quickly and still get a really tasty and aromatic product.

To prepare a garlic snack you will need:

• 500 g bacon;
• 1 piece of garlic;
• 25 pieces of black peas;
• 1-2 cups salt.

Choose lard with a small streak of meat. It is cut into small cubes. Pepper is ground to a powder. Garlic is passed through a press. Spices are mixed with half the salt. The resulting mixture is coated with each piece of bacon. Pour salt into the bottom of the pan and spread lard. Sprinkle the remaining garlic mixture on top, and then salt. In this form, the dish is left to infuse in the refrigerator for 10 days. Ready lard is cleared of salt before use.

With sugar

Salting with sugar is considered Belarusian. To prepare the snack you need to prepare:

• 700 g bacon;
• 0.5 tbsp. cumin seeds;
• 3 tbsp. salt;
• 1 tbsp. Sahara;
• 0.5 tsp cardamom;
• 1 piece bay leaf;
• 1 head of garlic;
• ground black pepper to taste.

The meat should be cut into pieces and dried with paper towels. The garlic is first passed through a press. The prepared pieces are coated with this mixture on all sides.

The bay leaf is crushed and mixed with all the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the seasoning on top with lard. The pieces of lard are transferred to a glass plate and put in the refrigerator for 4 days. You need to turn it over every day. Fans of such snacks will definitely like the finished lard.

With adjika

Lard cooked with homemade adjika turns out delicious. For this snack you will need:

• 500 g fresh bacon;
• 3-4 tbsp. high-quality home or store-bought adjika;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 2 tbsp. salt;
• 3-4 pieces of bay leaf.

The bacon is cut into small rectangles. Garlic is cut into slices. With a sharp knife, many cuts are made in the lard, into which the garlic is placed. All pieces of bacon are coated on all sides with adjika. Sprinkle it with salt and broken bay leaves on top.

The lard is left in the pan for 4 days. After that, it is transferred to a bag and sent to the freezer. After cooling, the lard is ready for use. It slices easily and makes a great addition to any sandwich.

For smoking

It is possible to use lard for hot and cold smoking. This is an excellent alternative to fish and meat. Even non-lard lovers enjoy eating it smoked.

You should know some subtleties. For smoking, take lard up to 6 cm thick. For smoking, take a salted product. For pickling, you can choose any recipe you like.

In the case of cold smoking, small home smokehouses are used. When cooking, you need to maintain a uniform smoke concentration.

For hot smoking, self-assembled or factory smokehouses are used. Cooking this way takes about 5 hours.

Before smoking, lard must be hung or dried on a wire rack. This is necessary to eliminate excess liquid.

If you don’t have a smokehouse, you can make smoked lard in a regular cauldron. For this you will need:

• lard and salt;
• flour and spices;
• water.

The lard is sprinkled with black pepper and salt to taste and marinated for 12 hours. Wood chips are placed on the bottom of the cauldron. The lard is carefully placed on a wire rack and placed in a cauldron.

Unlike factory devices, there is a risk of smoke entering the room. That is why you need to knead the dough from water and flour. It must be applied to the edges of the cauldron lid. This will prevent smoke from escaping.

The cauldron is placed on maximum heat on the stove. After 15 minutes, turn it off and leave until it cools completely. Thanks to the use of wood chips, the snack has a characteristic smoky smell and a beautiful crust.

To easily remove ash from the cauldron, you can first place the wood chips directly on the foil.

Hot method

Many people cook lard only using the hot method, as it turns out very tasty and tender. This snack has virtually no equal. To prepare hot bacon you need:

• 600 g lard;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 3 tbsp. salt;
• 10 g lard seasoning.

A piece of bacon is cut into three equal parts. Place them in a saucepan, add water and cook for 3 minutes. After this, turn off the stove and add salt. Close the lid and leave for 12 hours.

The prepared lard is rubbed with spices and wrapped in foil. After 12 hours, the appetizer is completely ready.

In brine

Lard in brine turns out very tender and soft. At home, you can pickle the product in a jar or deep but narrow pan. The most delicious recipe is with garlic. The marinade improves the true taste of the bacon and adds a slight spice.

To prepare lard in brine, take:

• lard;
• 1000 ml water;
• 90 g salt;
• 2 heads of garlic;
• 10 g pepper;
• 2 bay leaves.

First you need to prepare a hot brine. To do this, all the spices are placed in water. The liquid is kept on fire until it boils. After this, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. Immediately after this you need to add chopped garlic to it.

The bacon is divided into pieces. After this, it is folded loosely into the pan and filled with cooled brine. The container is placed in the refrigerator for 5 days. The lard is placed under pressure. To do this, before putting it in the refrigerator, you need to cover the pan with a plate and place something heavy on top.

After the specified period of time, the marinade is drained, and the bacon is transferred to bags or foil for further storage.

Dry method

According to the recipe, you need to dry salt lard with garlic in a jar. When preparing, you can use frozen herbs. To get a tasty snack, bacon is cut into small pieces. Grind the greens with garlic until a puree is obtained.

Pour salt at the bottom of the jar and lay out the bacon in layers, sprinkling salt on each of them. Cooking time does not take much time. You don’t have to worry that the product will be over-salted. He will take as much as he needs.

There is no need to compact the contents of the jar. It is placed in the refrigerator for 5 days. After this, the remaining salt is cleaned off and the pieces are put into bags or wrapped in parchment.

You can make a delicious snack from fresh lard. There are plenty of recipes that can make this quick and easy.

What are the benefits of lard?

This is a highly nutritious food. If you observe moderation, it will only bring benefits. This is especially true for Russian climatic conditions. Have you noticed: as soon as frost begins, your hands naturally reach for a delicious snack?

There is an opinion that lard provokes excess cholesterol. In response, I would recall the origin of the “anti-cholesterol theory,” but I will do that some other time