Lard with paprika and garlic (dry salting)
Lard is a homemade delicacy with a long shelf life. Now I use lard mainly as snacks. A couple of slices of bread with thin slices of salted lard - and your strength is instantly restored. Lard has a similar effect on the body as energy drinks: fatigue disappears and physical activity is easily tolerated. Hot seasonings are necessary for lard; they help the fatty product to be absorbed well. In addition, paprika, garlic and red pepper help strengthen the immune system, which is especially important during the cold season. The proposed dry salting has some features: the lard is in a container covered with cling film. Consequently, brine will appear at the bottom of the container, and the salted lard will be very soft, just suitable for sandwiches.
Products:
- lard – 600 g,
- salt – 4 tbsp. l.,
- garlic - 1/2 head,
- paprika – 1 tbsp. l.,
- dried red pepper – 1/2 pod,
- black peppercorns (optional) – 1/3 tsp.
Recipe for dry salting lard
1. Any lard is suitable for dry salting: thin and thick layers, pieces with or without a meat layer. Pay attention only to the color of the selected piece: the fatty layer of lard should be light - without pink or yellow tints.
2.Fresh lard is washed in cold water without soaking.
3. Thoroughly blot the lard with a paper towel, changing 2-3 pieces.
4. It is advisable to salt lard in a glass or ceramic container. The lard is cut so that the pieces fit comfortably in the chosen container. Cross-shaped cuts are made on pieces of lard.
5. Rub the lard on all sides with salt, not forgetting the cuts.
6. Cover the ceramic mold with cling film, leaving a narrow gap on one side so that the lard can “breathe.” In this form, lard is stored for two days at room temperature. Then it remains in the refrigerator for another two days.
7. Take the lard out of the refrigerator and use a knife to scrape off the salt from the sides. From this moment, the lard is considered ready, but to complete the picture it needs to be given a spicy taste and a few bright peppery touches applied.
8. Pass half a head of garlic through a press and pour ground paprika onto a plate. Grind half a pod of hot red pepper. You can grind a few more black peppercorns if you like a colorful pepper mix. All seasonings are laid out on a plate separately, since they will be applied one by one.
9. The lard is washed under running cold water and excess moisture is removed using paper towels. Paprika will not be able to adhere evenly to wet pieces of lard.
10. Rub the lard with garlic on all sides. No salt is added, the lard has enough of its own salinity.
11. Sprinkle lard with paprika and crush it with chopped red pepper. Pat with your fingers so that the paprika adheres well to the lard.
12. The lard coated with spices should lie in the freezer for a day. Lard is not stored in bags; it is wrapped in several layers of culinary parchment.
13.Lard with paprika and garlic is cut into slices and served with rye bread.
