From the point of view of modern dietetics, lard is a valuable food product, despite its high calorie content. The fat contains a whole complex of vitamins, minerals, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Plus, properly salted bacon is a great source of energy and an incredibly tasty snack.
Salting lard is a responsible process and requires special attention to the original product. Homogeneous or meaty lard is considered high quality only if it can be easily pierced with a knife. In the event that the tip of the knife enters the fat not with smooth, but with jerky movements, this means that the product contains a large number of veins and after salting the fat will be too hard.
It is possible to speed up the process of salting lard if you cut a slice into separate plates - this method justifies itself if the thickness of a piece exceeds 6-7 cm. But traditionally, specialists in the preparation of lard prefer to salt it with a whole slice, therefore the number of ingredients in salting recipes is given taking into account this feature … Do not be afraid to oversalt - the lard will absorb exactly as much salt as it needs.
Before salting the bacon, you must prepare a dry, clean container made of glass or plastic, in which the finished product will be stored. The most delicious lard is obtained if you replace ordinary salt with rock salt. A kilogram of lard will require about 4 tablespoons. salt, 1 tbsp. ground black pepper, 2 tsp. red pepper, 2-3 crumbled bay leaves, allspice peas, spices to taste.
A small amount of the salting mixture is placed on the bottom of the container, pieces of bacon are laid out on it, the rest of the mixture is added on top. Those who prefer salted lard with a spicier taste can add fresh garlic slices. But it must be remembered that lard with garlic has a slightly shorter shelf life and, in order to avoid spoilage, should be stored only in the freezer.
On the first day after salting lard, the product should be in a room where room temperature is maintained - this will help it thoroughly soak in the taste of spices. The next day, the bacon is removed to the refrigerator or taken out in the cold. The product is ready for use on the third day: the pickle mixture is cleaned off with the tip of a knife, the bacon is cut into slices.
