Smalets - what is it? Lard with garlic: recipe

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Salo and lard, the cult products of Ukrainians, actually earned a reputation as a traditional village food not only in Ukraine, but also in many other countries.

They are so well known all over the world that the question "Smalets - what is it?" anywhere in the world they will immediately tell you several ways to cook it, and at the same time they will give you a couple of recipes for dishes in which it is used.

Where and how is it applied

So, lard. What is it and what is it eaten with? This fat, rendered from lard, is used in the preparation of many national dishes. For example, in Transcarpathian and Hungarian cuisine, pork lard is indispensable for obtaining such dishes as Hungarian goulash, halasle fish soup, paprikash.

Lard is widely used as a cooking oil for baking a variety of bakery and confectionery products, as well as for frying instead of vegetable oil. In addition, they prepare a simple and hearty snack, spreading lard seasoned with spices and s alt on bread. The recipe with garlic and black pepper is especially popular with Russians and Ukrainians, because these spices add lardsavory taste that goes well with black Borodino bread.

S alt is poured over fried mushrooms or stews prepared for canning, which allows the product to be stored for a very long time.

A short digression into history

Large - what is it and what is it for? Previously, every hostess knew this. The versatile product was used for more than just food, making it a lifesaver.

In ancient times, lard was used to lubricate cart wheels, locks, traps, fish hooks, metal tools, and so on. Lard was used for lighting, filling lamps with it, scythes and sickles were heated in it. They lubricated the skin of the face and hands to protect them from severe frosts. Even furnaces were melted with it. Very often, lard was used in folk medicine as part of ointments for external use, and it was also practiced to prepare medicinal mixtures used orally for certain diseases.

Sandwich lard with dill, cracklings, red pepper or even with horseradish and radish was a strategic product in the arsenal of village housewives, the most convenient for use outside the home: haymaking, fishing or hunting, at night. This is understandable - it will not melt and will not deteriorate for a long time.

How to cook lard

Today this product can be purchased in almost any supermarket. However, zealous housewives assure that it is better to cook homemade lard, that this is a business that does not require great culinary skills. For this purpose, it is not necessary to take expensiveselected lard, trimmings and internal pork fat can be used.

The trimmings chosen for rendering should be cleaned of skin and rid of the layer of meat, and then soaked in cold water for 8-12 hours to remove dirt and blood residue. To make the fat easier to cut, it is recommended to slightly freeze it. To work, you will need a thick-walled container - a cauldron or pan, in which small pieces are laid in portions. The fire should be small so that the greaves that form when the fat is rendered do not burn. They can then be used for culinary purposes, such as mixed with lard for sandwiches, or used to make delicious buckwheat porridge with cracklings and onions.

The resulting liquid transparent fat is lard. The liquid must be filtered through a two-layer gauze, poured into jars and set to cool. The lard is finished cooking when the liquid fat turns into a white mass, resembling soft butter in consistency.

What is useful lard

Many of the beneficial elements contained in lard are lost when rendered, but three of them remain after cooking: selenium, vitamin E and choline (otherwise vitamin B4). The choline contained in a small amount affects the fat and protein metabolism in the body, prevents sclerosis and improves the functioning of the heart and liver. Vitamin E is important for strengthening capillaries and vessel walls and for preventing blood clots. Despite the available beneficial properties, lard must be consumed in moderation, since init contains a lot of unhe althy fats and cholesterol.

Some lard recipes

1. Lard with garlic and onion for sandwiches. Strain the lard and put it on the fire again, then put finely chopped garlic and onion into it (choose the number of vegetables to taste), fry until golden brown. Add s alt, marjoram, black pepper and stir. Remove from heat and let cool. This lard can be cooked with or without greaves.

2. Smalets "in Danish". Half a kilo of fresh bacon, cut into small cubes, fry until golden brown. Cut one onion into segments without peeling, put in a pan, add peppercorns, peeled garlic, bay leaf, then quickly fry. Remove spices and cracklings from the pan, add peeled chopped onion and sliced apple, fry until browned. Combine greaves without spices with the apple-onion mixture, let cool slightly, rub in a blender, s alt and pepper to taste. Divide into jars and store in the refrigerator.

3. Shortbread cookies on lard. It will take 250 g of flour, half a glass of sugar, 5 tablespoons of lard, 1 egg, 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder. Beat eggs with sugar, add melted and slightly cooled lard and other products, knead the dough. Put it in the refrigerator for half an hour. Then roll out the dough, cut out the figures and lay them on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Bake at 180 degrees until golden. The cookies are very tender, melting inmouth.

4. Omelet "Ataman". Take three eggs, three tablespoons of sour cream, a pinch of s alt and a tablespoon of flour, a little of any seasoning to taste, for example, cumin. Beat these ingredients with a mixer. Pour a handful of cracklings into the pan, put on fire. When the fat is released, pour the egg mixture, add the cheese, cover with a lid. The omelet takes 5-8 minutes to cook.

Storage rules for lard

The finished product is best stored in a cool dry place (refrigerator, pantry or cellar). Under such conditions, it does not deteriorate for many months. The best containers for storing lard are glass jars or ceramic pots.