To Preserve Unmelted Lard for Many Months
Ingredients
Directions
Salt the fat
Rub fine salt generously on the inner fat of the pig and let it sit for 2 days.
Drain the fat well and cover it with a strong brine made from 1 quart of water and 6 oz of salt.
Store and prepare
Change the brine occasionally in warmer weather.
When ready to use, soak the fat in cold water for 2 to 3 hours, then wipe it dry.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Inner fat of pig
- Forms the lard itself, which the salt and brine cure and firm up for keeping.
- Fine salt
- Draws out moisture and slows spoilage, helping the fat keep for longer.
The step that matters
Changing the brine in warm weather. Warmer temperatures speed up spoilage, and brine can weaken as it absorbs moisture and impurities. Changing it occasionally keeps the salt strong enough to preserve the fat.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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