How to preserve lard for a long time. How to render pork fat
Pork fat is rendered internal pork fat and lard, i.e. subcutaneous fat. For a long time, pork fat, along with other animal fats, has been criticized by scientists and doctors, blamed for increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol and other ills. Today fat has been rehabilitated and is once again entering culinary practice. True, buying animal fat in the store is still problematic. It is much easier to heat it yourself at home. How to render pork fat will be discussed in this article.
What are the benefits of pork fat?
For many years, the refusal to use pork fat was explained by the risk of high cholesterol, which is the main cause of heart and vascular diseases. It was classified as one of the most unhealthy fats and all our attention was paid to vegetable oils. Now many studies show that they do much more harm than good.
Animal fats consist of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Most of the monounsaturated fatty acids are oleic acid, an acid that is abundant in olive oil. It is for its high content of oleic acid that this oil is considered one of the healthiest vegetable oils.
Saturated fats are also important for the human body. We need them to absorb and assimilate fat-soluble vitamins and some other nutrients. For example, when we drink skim milk fortified with vitamin D, it will not be beneficial because it requires saturated fat to be absorbed. And if there is not enough of it, then no vitamin will be absorbed.
In addition, pork fat is rich in vitamins A, E, Omega-3 fatty acids. Not only that, but this fat helps absorb and absorb these important nutrients and vitamins.
The low level of polyunsaturated fatty acids in pork fat means that the fat oxidizes slowly and does not become rancid, i.e. it can be stored for a long time.
Pork fat has a high smoke point, i.e. it can be heated to higher temperatures without fear of releasing carcinogenic substances. It is suitable for frying at high temperatures that many vegetable oils cannot provide.
Which lard to choose
Pork lard is not uniform in quality. For different needs you need to take different lard for rendering fat.
Firstly, the quality of the fat depends on what and how the pig was fed.
Secondly, from which part of the pig carcass will you render the fat?
To make it easier to figure out which fat is best and for which culinary needs to render fat from which part, take note of these tips.
Lard or lard. This is subcutaneous lard, which is usually salted. But it can also be taken for reheating. It is sold in the market or in the store in pieces. This lard is great for frying and stewing.
Fat from the belly or underbelly. Soft layered fat with meat. Bacon is mainly made from this part. This lard is suitable for frying.
Internal lard or internal fat. This is the fat that is located on the internal organs of the pig. It is cut in layers and is soft. This is the purest fat. After melting, the fat will be white, practically odorless and tasteless. 
The fat rendered from such lard is highly valued by bakers. It is added to the dough, greased with pies to get a fragrant, beautiful crust. It always remains soft.
How to render pork fat at home
The technology for preparing and rendering pork fat is the same regardless of which part of the carcass you are rendering it from.
You can render fat on the stove, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. There are two different ways to obtain fat.
Wet method. Place the chopped fat in a saucepan with a little water. Turn on the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce until the water simmers and melt the fat until it melts in the water. Cool and pour into a jar. This method is suitable for both rendering internal fat and lard.
Dry method. This method can be used to render fat on the stove, oven, slow cooker, or frying pan. Heat the container in which you will heat the fat and place the chopped fat in it. This method can be used to render both interior fat and lard. While rendering fat using this method on the stove or in a slow cooker, stir it periodically with a wooden spatula.
How to render lard into fat
First you need to cut into small cubes, no larger than 1x1cm. Like this 
The finer the lard is cut, the faster it will melt and the more finished fat you will get. You can grind it in a meat grinder.
Place the chopped lard into a saucepan. Add water. For 1.5-2.0 kg of lard, approximately 200-300 grams of water.
Cover with a lid and place on the stove. As soon as the pan is well heated and the first bubbles appear on top, reduce the heat. Fat should be rendered at the lowest possible temperature. When rendered at high temperatures, fat melts faster, but it turns out darker in color, and may even be brown.
Approximately once every half hour, the fat should be carefully mixed with a wooden spatula. The entire process of rendering this amount of lard can take from 4 to 5 hours.
Strain the rendered fat through a sieve to separate the cracklings and pour into clean, dry jars. Once it cools to room temperature, put it in the refrigerator.
How to render pork fat in the oven
The best thing about melting fat in the oven is that you prepare it, put it in a pan, and you can go about your business while the fat is melting.
The preparation of fat is the same as for rendering on the stove. First you need to finely chop the pieces of lard or interior fat. The smaller the better. You can twist it in a meat grinder.
Place everything in a pan that can be placed in the oven. It is good to heat in cast iron.
Preheat the oven to a temperature of about 105-110 degrees. Place the pan in the oven. The rendering time depends on the amount of lard. The more lard, the longer the fat is rendered. You can carefully remove the pan and stir. Just be very careful so as not to burn your hands with fat.
Separate the rendered fat from the cracklings and pour into glass jars.
How to render internal pork fat
Internal fat is soft and layered. Almost all of it is melted away.
Cut the fat into small pieces. Place in a saucepan.
Add approximately 500-100 ml of water depending on the amount of fat. You don't need to pour a lot of water. It turns out to have a softer consistency compared to fat from rendering lard.
Place on the stove over low heat. After about an hour, check the pan and stir. It is very important not to let the fat burn at the very beginning. 
When melting, it will form cracklings, which will gradually settle to the bottom.
Strain the rendered fat through a sieve or cheesecloth and pour into jars.
Regardless of what you render the fat from, the most important thing at the initial stage is to clearly regulate the temperature. If the stove is heated too much, the lard may burn.
Until the first rendered fat appears, you need to monitor this process and stir the lard in a timely manner.
As soon as a certain amount of fat is rendered, the remaining pieces will boil in it, giving off fat.
You need to stir periodically. This will ensure that all the pieces of lard are rendered more evenly.
There is no need to render the fat until the cracklings are crispy. They should remain soft and light. They can then be further fried separately until they become brown and crispy. They can be used for stewing potatoes or other dishes. Fried cracklings can be sprinkled, for example, on potato salad.
Properly rendered fat in a glass jar should be pale yellow. When it hardens, it will turn white.
Before pouring it into jars, cool the fat so that the jars do not crack and your work is not in vain.
Fat should be stored in a cool place. Can be frozen.
Pork fat can be stored in such conditions for a long time, more than a year.
How to use pork fat
Pork fat can be used in the same way as vegetable oil. You can fry meat, vegetables, and stew in it. The dough is made with pork fat. Only for baking it is better to take only internal fat and preferably in the area of the kidneys.
Lard is melted interior fat or rendered lard. Previously, during the times of the USSR, every housewife cooked food with it, because there was no trace of high-quality refined vegetable oil, and if there was, it emitted such fumes that it was impossible to fry fish or cutlets without calling the firefighters from the neighbors! Lard was used not only for frying, but also as a spread on bread, for adding to dough for cookies, pies and waffles - lard cookies are so fragile and airy that they literally melt in the mouth, and at the same time their taste is so sweet that the fat is absolutely not noticeable when tasting.
It was the jar of lard, hidden in the depths of the refrigerator, that cooks in the USSR rightfully considered a gold reserve and cherished like the apple of their eye! And the secret of rendering this product from lard came to us from our grandmothers and great-grandmothers.
By the way, when melted, the lard turns out so tasty and golden brown - it’s simply a shame not to try it with a piece of black bread, greased with a clove of garlic, or with a feather of green onion.
Remember that there should be no water in either the container or the jars when creating lard, otherwise the fat will start to “shoot”!
Ingredients
- 1 kg lard or fat
1. Let's buy a layer of fresh aromatic lard, maybe with skin, or internal fat, but be sure to smell the product before buying - there shouldn't be anything but a pleasant smell from it! We rinse the lard in water and remove the skin from it, slightly trimming it along the edges. The skin is removed very easily - you just have to pull it.
2. After this, cut the piece of lard into plates, and the plates into cubes.
3. Select a container with a non-stick bottom or a cauldron and pour all the greasy cuts into it. Place the container on the stove, setting the power to maximum. Do not cover the container with a lid! As soon as we hear that the lard has begun to melt, be sure to stir it with a spatula or slotted spoon and reduce the power of the stove to minimum. Let the lard simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
4. The pieces of lard will become smaller in size, and the fat will increase. As soon as the pieces of lard become rosy and golden cracklings, remove them from the container with a slotted spoon and place them on paper napkins, removing excess fat. Let's turn off the stove.
5. Pour the resulting fat - liquid lard into containers (jars), after passing it through a strainer or a double layer of gauze.
6. Let it cool to room temperature, and then transfer the jars to the cold.
7. The cracklings can also be frozen and used to serve as side dishes of potatoes or hominy.
Solidified milk fat with a pleasant taste and aroma is everyone’s favorite lard. Store a container with this product in the refrigerator or cellar for about 2-3 months. Then the product must be melted again so that it does not go rancid!
Note to the hostess
1. Any hot fat, including pork fat, has an invaluable property: it intensively absorbs foreign odors without distorting them at all, then stores them for a long time and reliably, and upon subsequent heating actively releases them. Perfumers and chefs noticed this feature a long time ago. To this day, cooks infuse lard with the aromas of spices. Every housewife can do this: while simmering lard on the burner, you can immerse a gauze bundle with any edible incense into the pan. It will be interesting to experiment with individual components (basil, cilantro, fenugreek, fennel, etc.) or create a harmonious composition, having previously thought through the compatibility of herbs, different types of allspice and pleasantly smelling seeds. This or that bouquet will be felt in dishes and confectionery products thanks to the flavored lard with which they are fried or kneaded.
2. Unusually tasty, but, unfortunately, not approved by nutritionists, cold croutons, thinly greased with lard, thickly sprinkled with dill or green onions and flavored with garlic. This extremely appetizing snack contains that same terrible cholesterol that professional doctors and popular journalists have already intimidated everyone with. However, 70–80 grams of such food will not turn into a cholesterol bomb. Why not have a treat sometimes?
Lard is a fat that is extracted by slow heat treatment from lard, subcutaneous fat, internal fat, and fat trimmings.
The most delicious lard is made from lard or goose and duck fat, recipes for which we will consider later in this article. It is worth noting that lard rendered from internal fat may have a barely noticeable, peculiar odor that not everyone likes.
Depending on the raw materials and the method by which we heat the lard, in its frozen form it may have a pearl-white or slightly yellowish color.
Lard is used in cooking to prepare many dishes. You can use lard to cook first and second courses, bake, fry, add mashed potatoes, and so on. If lard is melted, it can be used to make salads. If you add a little spice to lard, it turns out to be a simply magical snack that can be spread in a thin layer on bread, like butter.
Preparing products for making lard
First of all, lard or internal fat should be rinsed under cold water, thereby getting rid of external contamination. Then trim off the remaining meat if you want to get snow-white lard. If you render lard only to prepare an appetizer, then on the contrary, it is better to take lard with a small layer of meat.Place the lard in slightly salted cold water and let stand for 10 hours. It is better to change the water 2-3 times during these 10 hours. If the lard smells good and does not have blood inclusions, then it is not necessary to soak it.
Drain the water and let the lard dry, and then cut into small and, if possible, equally sized pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster the lard will cook. Now you can proceed directly to preparing lard at home.
Lard can be prepared in several ways, namely on the stove, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. You can also cook by dry frying in a pan or melting in a saucepan using some water. When frying lard in a dry frying pan, we get not only lard, but also delicious cracklings, which can be added to any side dishes, in a dressing for soups and borscht, or simply eaten like seeds.
Lard recipe in the oven
We cut the lard into cubes measuring 2.5x2.5 cm. Place the lard cubes into a cauldron or other heat-resistant dish, distributing them evenly and fill them with water, approximately 0.6 cm from the bottom of the cauldron. Preheat the oven to a maximum of 100 gr. Celsius. Place the container with lard in the oven and cover with a lid. You need to stir the lard every 15-20 minutes. The rendering time for lard takes approximately 2 hours. When the fat is completely melted, you will immediately and unmistakably determine it. Strain the lard through a fine sieve, cool, pour into glass jars and store in the refrigerator.
Lard in a slow cooker, recipe
We will need: 450 gr. lard, waterCut the lard into pieces, approximately 2x2 cm. Pour 60 ml into the multicooker. water, place the pieces of lard evenly. Set the temperature to a lower temperature, cover with a lid and let the lard melt for one hour without opening the multicooker. After an hour, open the lid and stir the lard. For the next few hours, stir the lard every 30 minutes. Depending on the amount of lard and the type of multicooker, preparing lard can take from 2 to 6 hours. When the lard acquires a ruddy color and begins to settle to the bottom, these pieces have already completely given up their fat and will no longer be rendered. The lard is ready, all that remains is to strain, cool and pour into jars and put in the refrigerator for storage.
Lard on the stove, recipe
We will need: 500 gr. lard, water.Place the chopped pieces of lard in a saucepan, add 100 g. water and place on high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes, then stir. When the lard begins to decrease in size, stir every 10 minutes. When the pieces become considerably smaller, acquire a ruddy appearance, and sink to the bottom, the lard is ready. Strain through a fine sieve, cool and pour into jars and refrigerate.
Unmelted pieces of lard, that is, almost greaves, can be fried in a frying pan for 10 minutes. And then add to any side dish, to salads, to prepare snacks.
Lard appetizer with cracklings and spices
Snack yield 600 gr.We will need: Lard 400 g, smoked chicken breast 100 g, onion 1 small head, garlic 4 cloves, salt 2 teaspoons, freshly ground black pepper 4 pinches, water 100 g, apple 1 piece.
Peel and chop the onion as finely as possible. Peel the apple and grate it on a large mesh grater. Peel the garlic and finely chop it with a knife.
Grind the brisket and lard in a meat grinder.
Add water and rendered lard to the pan.
Place on low heat and simmer, stirring until the lard has melted and barely golden cracklings begin to float.
Add the onion, apple, garlic and stir until the onion and apple become soft. Remove from heat, add ground pepper.
Pour into jars and cool. Bon appetit!
Sometimes there is a need to cook something that harmonizes with toasted bread - for example, delicious or homemade lard. Read the recipe!
IngredientsLard recipe
Lard is rendered pork fat, which has long been considered a village product. But it is not so. Lard, first of all, is a national product. Many cuisines around the world cannot do without lard, and its use is varied and multifaceted - from confectionery to a base for frying.
Lard, as a natural product, is used for both household and medicinal purposes. When preparing lard, lard is usually used from lard, but regular lard can also be used. Properly prepared lard is not only a high-calorie dish, it is rich in vitamins and amino acids. To preserve all the benefits of a folk product, try the following recipe. For cooking we will need the following utensils and tools:
- Wide sharp knife
- Wooden cutting board
- Frying pan or saucepan with a thick bottom
- Dry glass containers
Homemade lard is a product of unusually high nutritional value Preparation
The process of making lard is fuss-free and requires a lot of time, but the result is worth it.
- A piece of lard or fat should be slightly frozen, this makes cutting the product much easier. For 1 kg of lard, 15-20 minutes are enough. If you cut frozen lard on a wooden board, the board will not absorb the fat and there will be no loss. A wooden board is not only environmentally better than any other, it is most suitable for slicing frozen fat. This point in the preparatory process can be skipped, which will not at all affect the taste of the final product.
- Cut lard or fat into small pieces. You should not grind it; accelerating the melting process greatly deteriorates the quality of the lard, giving it a slight but noticeable bitterness.
- Cut the onion into small cubes. The amount of chopped onion should be enough to completely cover the layer of chopped lard in the bowl.
- We heat the dishes well, but do not heat them. It is very important that not a drop of moisture remains at the bottom.
- Reduce the heat to the minimum, put chopped lard or fat in a bowl, and chopped onion on top. Close the lid and leave to simmer for 6-8 hours.
- If you want variety, at the very end of heating, you can add garlic, cumin, marjoram, rosemary. Each of these ingredients can be added separately, or different compositions can be made. The readiness of lard is determined by the color of the cracklings - they should turn dark brown.
- Turn off the fire. Pour the hot lard into clean, dry containers and cover with parchment. If you used spices, pour the lard through a strainer to strain it.
- After cooling, close the containers with lard with tight lids and store in a dark, cool place.
Snow-white, aromatic lard is ready!
Preparation: 1 hour 15 minutes
Recipe for: 2 cans of 500 ml
Lard is melted internal fat; it is easy to prepare at home if you know the recipe. Lard is widely used in cooking. The most delicious shortbread cookies are made with lard. And what delicious potatoes fried in lard with onions. It can be prepared not only from pork fat, but also from chicken fat. Today we will talk about pork lard. Previously, it was prepared in large clay jugs and stored in the basement. Today, melted fat is poured into glass jars, covered with lids and stored in this form. Jars of fat can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six months. Experienced housewives know that lard is cheaper in summer, and therefore lard is prepared at this time. In winter, you take out a jar of the preparation, even bake cookies, fry potatoes, or just spread it on bread with garlic.
How to cook lard at home
Ingredients
- Gastrointestinal fat - 1.2 kg
