Preparing lard
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Lard is a processed product made from rendered lard.
You can fry it in lard, add it to baked goods and porridges. By the way, previously only such fat was present in the cellars of villagers: there was no trace of vegetable oil or margarine. I remember how in the Soviet years, jars of melted lard were stored in refrigerators as the most necessary ingredient, and my grandfather told me that the most delicious dish in his life was a piece of rye bread with lard and garlic!
Many chefs use lard when preparing dishes, but they mistakenly call for rendering it only from interior fat - I do not recommend it. Internal fat has a not very pleasant smell and “gives” it lard, so create the product only from fresh lard - it does not need to be soaked. In general, when rendering lard there should be no water at all, otherwise the fat will start to “shoot” and splash the entire kitchen.
Ингредиенты
Pork lard - 1 kg
Рецепт
1. So, let’s buy an excellent piece of lard, preferably with a layer of meat in the middle, and let’s start cooking!
2. Wash the lard in water to remove contaminants and dry it with paper towels or napkins. Then we cut the skin from one edge and pull it, removing it completely from the piece of fat - it comes off easily.
3. Cut the peeled piece into small oblong slices, trying to leave a layer in the middle of each of them - these are blanks for future cracklings.
4. Let's choose a thick-bottomed dish and pour the chopped lard into it, but remember that the dishes must be dry, without a single drop of water. Place the container on the stove, turning on the maximum heat, and fry the pieces for the first 5 minutes until golden brown so that they form fat, and then reduce the heat to minimum and mix the contents of the container.
5. We will heat the lard for about 40-50 minutes, stirring from time to time. You will see how the pieces of lard become brown and decrease in size, and the fat becomes larger and larger. Just do not cover the container with a lid under any circumstances - condensation may form on it!
6. Once the cracklings have released all the fat, remove them with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with a paper napkin. Remove the container from the stove and let the fat cool for 10-15 minutes so that the remaining small pieces sink to the bottom.
7. Pour the liquid fat into a jar or other container, placing a strainer with two layers of gauze on it. Leave to cool to room temperature, and then transfer to the cold.
8. After 3-5 hours, the lard will completely harden and acquire a milky white color. If desired, you can lightly add salt to the surface of the lard. The product is stored for about 4-6 months in the refrigerator, but then it is recommended to melt the lard, otherwise it may begin to taste bitter.
9. As soon as you prepare the product, be sure to try it with bread and garlic - it’s very tasty! And you can either eat the resulting cracklings or freeze them in the freezer and add them to fried potatoes, porridge and other dishes. Now you know how to make lard at home!
Have a nice day!