To Preserve Unmelted Lard for Many Months
Ingredients
Directions
Cure the fat
Rub fine salt generously on the fat after removing it from the pig.
Let it sit for 2 days to drain.
Cover the fat with brine made from 6 oz of salt per quart of water.
Change the brine occasionally in warm weather.
Prepare to use
When ready to use, soak the fat in cold water for 2-3 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
- Provides the fat that is preserved and later rendered for cooking.
- Fine salt
- Draws out moisture from the fat and helps preserve it against spoilage.
The step that matters
Changing the brine in warm weather. Salt brine slows bacterial growth, but warm temperatures let spoilage organisms multiply faster. Replacing the brine occasionally keeps its salt concentration effective and the fat from spoiling during curing.
“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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