How to pickle lard: 5 ideal ways

Today we will talk about such an important product as salted lard. We will learn how to choose lard for salting, how to salt lard at home correctly so that it is tasty and how to store this product, beloved by many.

Lard, as a national Ukrainian product, became known to the world in the 18th century, but even before that time it was popular on the menu of Western Slavs (Poles), among Hungarians, Turks, and salted lard was served in restaurants in Germany and France.

Lard of various varieties and types remains in trend: it is salted, smoked, and heat-treated. The most popular is salted lard (lard). Well salted, it is suitable for preparing carpaccio, cold cuts, sandwiches, and is suitable as an additional dish with borscht, green garlic and pampushki. The secret to perfect taste is in proper salting and selection of lard removed from a certain part of the carcass.

How to choose lard

To choose the right lard, it is better to go to the market or farm store.
First of all, pay attention to the color: it should be white or pinkish, but always uniform. The skin of the lard should be thin, smooth, without bristles and preferably with a veterinarian's mark. Smell the lard. The smell of fresh product is subtle, sweetish and milky. The presence of a specific aroma indicates that the lard came from a boar. No amount of spices can remove the smell, so it’s better to refuse the purchase.

Pierce the lard with a knife, fork or match. If it pierces easily or with little resistance, the product deserves your approval.

After purchasing the lard, rinse it with running water, dry it well with a towel and begin the cooking process.

What you need to know

I buy it only at the market, this is the best option, since there is also a large selection of village homemade lard. In the village, on private farms, pigs are raised on natural feed, so it is the healthiest.

It's even better to buy from sellers you know well. They usually remember regular customers and try to offer them the best.

An alternative is to buy from friends who are trustworthy in terms of the fact that the animal was not fed dangerous substances such as meat-and-bone meal and the like, that the pig was not sick and was not injected with medicine.

The softest part of the pig is the back, followed by the flank and the brisket, the brisket has more meat, so it is tougher. Thick lard will be soft.

White lard without any layers is very useful for women and children, and it will also appeal to older people, since this kind of lard is the softest.

How to salt lard

At home, lard can be salted in three main ways:

Just rub with salt. In the classic version, garlic and pepper are also added, which give the dish a spicy taste and aroma. Dry cooking is quick and easy. It is suitable for those who do not like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. But it is worth remembering that such lard can be stored for no more than a month.
Place in brine . This is a more labor-intensive process: first, the brine is boiled, then lard is soaked in it, and then stuffed with spices. But the work will pay off in full: the product turns out to be very delicate and can be stored for about a year.
Cook . Use this method if you doubt the quality of the product. Cooking will help get rid of most parasites and bacteria. In addition, such lard will turn out to be very soft and will be stored for up to six months. And if you cook it with onion skins, it will taste like smoked meat.

By the way, no matter what method you choose, you will need to store the finished lard in the freezer.