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To Preserve Unmelted Lard for Many Months

This recipe describes how to preserve unmelted lard for many months using salt and brine.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 4 ingredients
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To Preserve Unmelted Lard for Many Months

Ingredients

Directions

Cure the fat

  1. Rub fine salt generously on the inner fat of the pig immediately after butchering.

  2. Leave the salted fat for 2 days to cure.

  3. Drain the fat well.

Brine and finish

  1. Cover the fat with a strong brine made from 1 quart of water and 6 oz of coarse sea salt.

  2. Change the brine occasionally in warmer weather.

  3. Soak the fat in cold water for 2 to 3 hours.

  4. Wipe the fat dry.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

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

Pig inner fat
The fat being preserved; salt draws out moisture and firms it for storage.
Fine salt
Draws moisture out of the fat and inhibits spoilage during the initial cure.
Coarse sea salt
Forms a strong brine that continues the preserving action after the dry cure.

The step that matters

Changing the brine in warmer weather. Warm temperatures speed up bacterial growth and spoilage, and a fresh, strong brine helps keep the fat safely preserved while it cures.

“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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