How to smoke lard in a hot smoked smokehouse: product selection rules and the best recipes
Such an appetizer always turns out to be very tender and aromatic. But before you smoke lard in a hot smoked smokehouse, you need to choose and pickle it correctly. It is desirable to buy with layers of meat. This will make the snack even more delicious. Such smoked bacon can be served both for a family dinner and for a festive table. It is very delicious to eat with fried or boiled potatoes, homemade pickles or soft bread. The product is not complicated at all in preparation. It is important to choose the right piece and to follow the smoking technology step by step. The reward will be a delicious appetizer that you will want to cook more than once.
What lard to choose for smoking
Dry salting lard for smoking
The fat must be rinsed and dried with paper towels. Then, cut into square or rectangular pieces of approximately the same size. For every kilogram of fresh product, there are 6 tablespoons of salt + 4-5 bay leaves and a couple of heads of garlic.
Additionally, you can use a mixture of peppers, paprika or dry coriander... Mix the spices thoroughly and rub each piece with them from different sides. Then transfer the product to a deep saucepan with a lid and send it to the refrigerator for 7-8 days. After the bacon, clean it of excess salt and spices, rinse and dry. As a result, smoked lard in a hot-smoked smokehouse will be quite dense, moderately spicy.
Pickling
This method will allow the seasonings to be more evenly distributed and soak the fat well. Transfer the prepared pieces to a container with high sides. Prepare the brine in parallel. Pour just enough water into the saucepan so that it completely covers the bacon. When the liquid warms up, add salt to it and stir continuously until the crystals dissolve. The amount of water is individual.
In order not to be mistaken with salt, you can conduct a simple test: immerse a hard-boiled egg in the brine. If it floats to the surface, there is enough salt.
To enhance the taste, you can add cloves, allspice peas, lavrushka, chopped garlic... Do not over-salt the marinade. In this case, the meat will become tough, and the lard itself will not absorb the wonderful taste and aroma of spices.
You need to marinate lard only in an enamel bowl under pressure. 5-7 days is enough.
To significantly reduce the salting time, it is necessary to boil the bacon in the marinade (about 2.5 hours). The liquid should not boil too much. After that, the pieces must be cooled and dried.
Which wood is best
Before smoking lard in hot smoked smokehouses, you need to take care of the chips. Experienced owners advise to choose the wood of fruit trees (plum, pear, cherry). An excellent result can be obtained from a mixture of beech and alder.
To prevent smoked meats from becoming bitter, you should not use too much wood chips. The best option is 200 g.
It is strongly not recommended to use softwood. The only exception is juniper. Its wood and dried berries can be mixed with other wood chips for a richer aroma. The choice of wood completely depends on the personal preferences of the owners: someone likes the astringency, and someone is not afraid of the slight bitterness.
How to smoke lard in a hot smoked smokehouse
Step by step cooking
- Put sawdust or wood chips at the bottom of the smokehouse.
- Fix a pallet above them, where the melted fat will be collected. Otherwise, it will fall on the hot bottom, and the finished product will burn out.
- Spread pieces of bacon on the wire rack, and cover the apparatus with a lid. Place the smokehouse itself on a grill or fire. A gas stove is also suitable.
Many are interested in how much to smoke hot smoked lard in a smokehouse? This cooking method is pretty quick. At temperatures from + 80 to + 90 degrees, the bacon will be fully cooked within 30-60 minutes. When the due date expires, the smokehouse needs to be kept closed for a couple of hours. This will make the product more flavorful and tasty. After that, remove the fat, wrap it in a natural breathable cloth and cool completely.
The recipe for hot smoked lard in a smokehouse is very simple. Such a product will be a great snack for any table. Experimenting with spices, you can make it a little spicy, with pleasant notes of different herbs. The pulp will be soft, and the veins of the meat will make it marbled. Such a treat will appeal not only to all family members, but also to guests, so you will have to cook it often.