Methods for storing lard in various forms in the refrigerator

How to choose the right one

Fresh or salted lard can only be white. The appearance of beige or cream stains on its surface indicates that the product is old or completely unsuitable for consumption. The lard should exude a pleasant meaty smell; an admixture of bitterness and acid indicates that the product is spoiled.

Attention! It is better to buy fresh lard (unsalted). Salting is a good scam for an unscrupulous seller. By adding individual spices to the brine, it can “correct” the smell of a spoiled product.

When choosing lard, pay attention to the following parameters:

• sufficient height of the product - at least 4 cm;
• lard (layer from the back) - the softest part of lard, suitable for salting;
• the skin should be soft, this indicates that the animal was slaughtered at a young age;
• There should be no streaks or stains on the surface of the product.

Remember that lard with a meat layer (belly part) is tougher and is rarely used for dry salting. In order not to spoil your expectations of the taste, pickle it or boil it.

The product should be consumed in moderation: “According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, lard is not recommended for consumption, since the fatty acids in its composition stimulate the excessive generation of cholesterol in the human body, which can lead to cardiovascular diseases and premature death from them”... Wikipedia

How to choose fresh lard for smoking/salting

Correctly selected lard directly affects the subsequent taste during cooking. There are several simple rules for choosing lard:

1. Choose only fresh, not stale lard;
2. Ask the seller about the age of the animal and its gender. Fat from old animals or boars is not suitable;
3. Fresh lard has a pleasant meaty smell;
4. It must be clean, without traces of dirt and blood;
5. The light or slightly pinkish color of the fat indicates that it was cut from young carcasses. Yellow – from mature ones, it’s not worth buying such lard;
6. Young lard has a thin skin that is easy to cut.

Basic storage conditions

Ensure long-term storage of lard at a temperature of no more than +5-+7 degrees. The product, regardless of the processing method, should be kept in the refrigerator, and for long-term storage put in the freezer. It must be remembered that freezing affects the taste characteristics of lard, changing them not for the better.

Attention! Well-salted lard can be kept at room temperature for no more than 10 days. Use it during this time, because subsequent immersion of the product in the freezer or refrigerator will not extend the shelf life.

Tomato garnisher without cooking

The recipe requires the following ingredients:

• red tomatoes – 1 kg;
• horseradish root – 80 g;
• garlic – 60 g;
• ground red pepper – ½ tsp;
• sugar – 1 tsp;
• salt – 3 tsp.

• Remove the skins from the tomatoes and grind.
• Grind the horseradish in a meat grinder, and grind the garlic through a press.
• Combine ingredients, add spices, mix.
• After 1-2 hours, pour the freezer for the winter into sterile jars and seal tightly with metal lids.

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Refrigerator storage rules

It is not recommended to keep fresh product in the refrigerator compartment of the unit. It must be immediately processed (salted, smoked or boiled) or stored in the freezer. Ready-to-eat lard can be kept on the coldest shelf of the cupboard for several months, but to ensure that lard does not lose its properties, follow these rules:

• do not leave it on the refrigerator shelf next to open foods that emit a strong aroma;
• Only dry bacon can be sent to the refrigerator; if you used the wet salting method, dry the product first on paper towels;
• Fresh (unsalted) lard can be kept in the refrigerator, but only in an airtight container.

Next, we will consider the basic rules for storing lard, depending on the method of its processing.

Fresh

Fresh lard begins to deteriorate at temperatures above +10 degrees after a few hours, so do not keep it at room temperature. The piece should be immediately placed in the refrigerator or freezer.

You can keep fresh lard in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days. During this time, you need to decide on the processing method or freeze it. Keeping it in the freezer will extend the shelf life of the product to six months. When ensuring freezing, follow these rules:

1. Cut the lard into several small pieces.
2. Keep it in the freezer at a temperature of no more than -18 degrees. Do not use super freeze mode. It will ruin the quality of the product.
3. If the piece is small and fits freely in the freezer compartment, the lard can be cut, rather than cut, without damaging the skin.

Thaw raw bacon in the refrigerator. Do not place it in warm water or microwave it.

Salty

As you know, it is better to take fresh lard and salt it at home. This is very easy to do; wipe the bacon on all sides with salt. There is no need to feel sorry for it, you cannot over-salt the product, this lard is unique. It can absorb only as much salt as it needs, not a gram more.

Interesting! If you plan to store the product without a refrigerator for some time, do not shake the salt off the product, but rather seal each edge with it. This way it will better retain its freshness, because the spice acts as a preservative and does not allow bacteria to multiply.

Many people believe that it is better to keep salted lard in the freezer, but I want to say the opposite. When frozen, it loses its taste, so it is better to pickle the product in small quantities so that it can be consumed within a month. To prevent it from suffocating during storage, do not place it in plastic or use cling film for packaging. The ideal option is parchment; you can store lard in it in the refrigerator for about 2 months and it will not change its qualities.

Salty in brine

Salted pork lard in brine is stored a little longer if it is placed in a glass jar and kept in the refrigerator. To use this storage method, cut the product into pieces of the required thickness and treat with salt and spices. The brine itself is very simple to prepare. The recipe is as follows:

• dissolve salt in water based on the proportion of 500 ml of water per 100 g. table salt;
• add black peppercorns and bay leaves (to taste) to add flavor;
• put the lard in a jar of the required volume and fill it with brine;
• Place the product in the refrigerator, tightly closing the jar.

Keep in mind that if stored in liquid for a long time, the product will become soft and may change its structure, so I recommend draining the liquid after 2-3 weeks and simply storing the lard in a jar.

Smoked

When buying a smoked product, keep in mind that hot smoked lard has the shortest shelf life; it can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 2 weeks. It is also not frozen. Cold-smoked bacon can be kept in the refrigerator for about 2 months if the basic conditions are met:

• the temperature in the refrigerator should not be higher than +5 degrees;
• the humidity should be optimal, do not place the bacon near the back of the refrigerator, otherwise it will quickly become sticky or moldy;
• Before putting the product in the refrigerator, wrap it in food parchment and then place the container.

Cold smoked bacon can be frozen. In this case, it will retain its qualities for 8 months, provided it is kept at a temperature of -18 degrees.

It is better to smoke lard at home, because under the guise of this product the seller often sells low-quality goods.

Boiled

Freezing boiled lard is not recommended; it is better to cook it before direct use, but if there is a little product left, it can be put in the refrigerator. Keeping at a temperature of no more than 6 degrees is acceptable for 3 months. Wrap the lard in cling film or canvas and place it on the refrigerator shelf.

Attention! When stored in the refrigerator, boiled bacon changes its taste, so it is better to cook it in small portions.

Gorloder: boiled recipe, canning

For preservation, you can use the following recipe.

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• tomatoes - two and a half kilograms;
• apples - half a kilo;
• sweet pepper - half a kilo;
• garlic – one hundred and twenty grams;
• dill - fifty grams;
• vinegar - two large spoons;
• hot pepper – one hundred grams;
• parsley - fifty grams;
• sunflower oil - one glass;
• black pepper and salt to taste.

• Sterilize and heat the container before storing.
• Wash vegetables under running water.
• Remove seeds and core from peppers and apples.
• Cut the tomatoes into cubes.
• Grind the remaining ingredients in a blender or meat grinder.

Pour the resulting mass into a container, add vinegar, spices and vegetable oil. Place the pan over medium heat and cook for at least 2 hours. Dill and parsley can also be ground in a blender or finely chopped, then added to the sauce before the end of cooking.

The hot seasoning is poured into jars and rolled up.

Jars can be stored in a pantry or basement.

How to store without refrigeration

Without refrigeration, only well-salted or smoked lard can be preserved. Keeping a boiled or fresh product at room temperature even for several hours is unacceptable; they spoil very quickly, and their consumption can cause serious disorders of the digestive system.

If you want to store bacon without refrigeration, follow these rules:

• Freeze the lard first;
• wrap the product in food foil;
• place a bottle of frozen water next to it;
• cut off the piece you need for the meal and immediately pack the rest.

Compliance with these rules allows you to extend the shelf life to 5-7 days, depending on environmental conditions. Do not leave lard in direct sunlight; such exposure will accelerate its deterioration. Before consuming a product stored outside the refrigerator, carefully inspect it to ensure there is no risk of spoilage. You need to be especially careful in the summer.

Can it be frozen: shelf life in the freezer

The duration of storage of lard in the freezer depends on the following conditions:

• product condition;
• packaging quality;
• size of pieces;
• temperature in the freezer.

I recommend freezing only fresh lard, and sending smoked and salted lard to the chest freezer only if there is an urgent need. Only fresh lard can be preserved without loss of taste and changes in structure, but the following rules must be followed:

1. Pack the product hermetically, wrap it in parchment or canvas cloth, and cover it with cling film.
2. Cut lard into pieces before freezing. Because you can defrost it only once.
3. Keep at a temperature of about -18 degrees.
4. Defrost food only in the refrigerator compartment, do not leave it at room temperature.
5. Immediately after defrosting, process the piece (salt it or smoke it).
6. Do not keep fresh lard that has been defrosted in the refrigerator, it will quickly spoil.

In case of urgent need, salted bacon can be frozen, but you may encounter difficulties. The main thing is that the lard may not freeze at all. This is due to the high concentration of salt in the product. If the only option for storing the product is the freezer, soak the lard in water for 3 hours, then dry it, and only then put it in the freezer. If the salt concentration decreases, the product will freeze.

Factors for storing lard in the freezer

The shelf life of lard in the freezer depends on the following factors:

• the condition of the product itself;
• the degree of its sealing;
• size of pieces;
• freezer temperature.

You can freeze lard in its fresh, unprocessed form. We are talking about unrendered pork fat, which was simply placed in the freezer. In addition, salted, smoked and even lard boiled in soy sauce can be frozen. All these processing methods are actually the production of canned pork fat. If such an already canned product is placed in the freezer, then it will be stored longer.

It is also necessary to take into account the initial freshness of the frozen product. After all, pork fat, and even interspersed with meat, which has lain for a long time in a warm place and in the open air, will look acceptable to some extent when frozen (meat sellers use this effect), but after defrosting it will become worse.

Finally, even for lard, the amount of freezing and thawing is very important. Once the meat is frozen, it becomes somewhat different. With a sharp change in temperature, many tissues are destroyed and quickly undergo oxidation.

Lard in any condition must be stored in such a way that it only needs to be thawed once - before use.

You need to store salted lard in the same way as unsalted lard - in a tight, airtight container. The problem of preserving any product in a frozen state is to protect it not from microorganisms, but from oxidation. Any product sooner or later becomes covered with a film of oxidized tissue. You can’t eat it, so you have to cut off this film, or even just throw away the whole piece.

This is why it is so important to measure the pieces correctly and pack them well. If you store lard in large pieces, putting it in a plastic bag, then the resulting top film of oxidized tissue can be cut off, and the rest of the piece will be edible. However, large pieces with frequent use in small portions will have to be defrosted several times, which will affect the quality of the product.

If you store a finely chopped product, you will need to defrost only those pieces that will be eaten immediately.

It is very important that the freezer is turned on at full capacity when storing pork fat. The lower the temperature, the faster the piece will freeze, and the longer it can be stored.

Signs of damage

Salt is a good preservative that allows you to preserve the freshness of various products for a long time, but still salted lard can spoil in the following cases:

• the product is not salted enough due to cutting into large pieces;
• storage periods have been violated;
• Recommended conditions are not met.

This can be identified by the following signs:

1. Appearance. The product turns yellow and peels off the skin. Its crust becomes more rigid and can hardly be cut with a knife.
2. The taste of the product changes, it gives off bitterness, and the smell is similar to old fat.

Is it better to store lard in the refrigerator or freezer? I recommend starting from the expected storage duration, because lard is a product that is frozen only in extreme cases. Salted and smoked bacon changes its taste when kept in a freezer, so you should not keep it there.

How to store the product?

There are four types of lard: boiled, salted, smoked and fresh. The most popular are fresh and salted , but the other two types are also often used to add to dishes. Each of the above types has its own storage nuances, and you need to know about them all.

Fresh

This product cannot be kept at room temperature , but in the refrigerator it can last for a maximum of three to four days, so in order for it to be preserved, it should be smoked, boiled or salted.

If you still need to save a large amount of fresh lard for a long time, you can put it in the freezer . It can spend about four months in this position. Depending on your future plans for frozen meat, it should be stored as a whole piece (for further salting) or in thin slices (for adding to food or frying).

The snack should be placed in the freezer, first wrapped in food paper (the first layer) and cling film (the second layer). In this form they can be stored much longer. Instead of cling film, you can simply pack the product in a plastic bag.

Salty

This type of meat can be stored much longer than the previous one, both in the freezer and in the refrigerator. The process of preparing such lard can take place with brine or simple salt . If desired, garlic, bay leaf, cumin, dill and other spices are sometimes added. Despite the variety of types of pickling, the storage method is the same for all.

To store salted lard in the refrigerator, you need to wrap it in parchment or place it in a glass jar and close it with a lid. In order to extend the shelf life, you can also sprinkle the snack with salt , then during storage the meat will absorb only the necessary nitrates, and the indecent grains will remain outside and can be easily scraped off with a knife. The product can remain in this form for up to three months.

In the freezer, this product is the same as fresh - pieces wrapped in parchment and cling film. So it can lie for about a year .

You can also store salted lard in the cellar by salting the meat in advance and placing it in jars with a lid. Instead of cans, you can use dense wooden boxes - in cases where there is high air humidity .

Smoked

It is stored using the same methods as salted. However, it can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than two months , and such lard should not be placed in the freezer at all, since the taste will become worse after freezing. If you still had to place this meat in the freezer, it will last no more than one year there.

Boiled

Boiled lard is popular due to its delicate taste and ease of preparation at home. It cannot be stored in the freezer, but in the refrigerator, in the main compartment, wrapped in food paper, it can last for 2.5-3 months .

Sometimes, instead of boiling lard, they prefer to melt to obtain fat for frying. To preserve this heat-treated mass, it is poured into jars and stored in the refrigerator ( 1-2 years ).

conclusions

Lard is a tasty and healthy product that is not demanding in terms of storage conditions, but some recommendations must be followed to avoid premature spoilage of the product. It should be borne in mind that it absorbs foreign tastes and odors well, so it should be stored away from aromatic products. It is better to keep processed salted, smoked or boiled lard in the refrigerator, but fresh lard should be frozen, after cutting it into small portions. Salted and smoked bacon can be kept at room temperature, but not for long, only 3-5 days. Knowing and applying the above rules will help keep the product edible for as long as possible, prevent its premature spoilage and avoid food poisoning.

Video: how to salt lard at home

How to salt lard at home, a delicious recipe (how to cook bacon)

Watch this video on YouTube

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