Salo is a delicious dish of Russian and Ukrainian cuisine that goes well with various side dishes and soups. Salted lard requires proper storage, otherwise it will acquire an unpleasant color and smell, and also lose its taste.
Storing salted lard in the refrigerator
Salted lard should not only be properly stored, but also given due attention to the process of its preparation. First you need to salt the bacon. Peel the garlic and cut into large cubes. Prepare a pickling mixture: ground black pepper, dried herbs and salt at the rate of 3 tbsp. l. for 1 kg of lard.
Cut the fresh bacon into fairly thick slices, about 5 cm each. Sprinkle the chopped slices with garlic and roll in the pickling mixture. Then place in an enamel bowl in layers, sprinkling each layer with spices. Cover the pot and let the lard sit for 5 days. Place the pot in a cool, dark place.
After 5 days, remove the bacon, wrap with cling film and place in the freezer or refrigerator for storage. The shelf life of salted lard in the refrigerator is 1 month, in the freezer - 1 year. It is the storage of salted lard in the refrigerator that is considered the most popular way, since lard is able to maintain its freshness for a long time.
Storing salted lard in glass jars
Salted lard can also be stored canned in glass jars. To do this, cut the bacon into small pieces. Prepare the brine at the rate: 1 glass of salt is required for 1 liter of water. Put the brine on a low heat, and after the water boils, dip the pieces of bacon in it for 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime, sterilize the jars in the same way as for canning vegetables. For storing salted lard, you can choose cans of any size: 1, 2 or 3 liter. Put lard in jars in layers, between which you need to put several cloves of garlic, a couple of bay leaves, cloves, allspice. Then fill with boiling brine and roll up with sterilized lids.
You can store salted lard in jars for a very long time. Lard retains its flavor and aroma. After you open the jar, the pieces of lard will need to be transferred to the refrigerator or freezer.
Tips for storing salted lard
To keep salted lard for much longer, use the following tips. Use bags made of natural fabrics (for example, cotton, linen) to store bacon. Lard should not be stored with strong-smelling foods as it can absorb odors. In the event that the fat has acquired an unpleasant odor, then you can knock it down by soaking it in water with garlic.
Never store salted lard in the light, it will turn yellow and deteriorate very quickly. Dry each piece thoroughly before putting the bacon in the refrigerator for storage.
