How To Make Lardo Recipes

LARDO, CURED PORK FATBACK

Steps:

• Mix together all the salts and spices. Divide it in half by weight. Massage the mixture into each slab of pork fat, keeping them separated. Vacuum seal each piece with its share of salt and spices.
• Set the pieces in a container, either stacked or side by side, then put a plate or other lid on them that is smaller than the top of the container. Weigh down this lid with something heavy, like some heavy canned goods.
• Cure the fat for 12 days, flipping the pork every three days. This helps evenly distribute the cure.
• After 12 days to 2 weeks, remove the fatback and rinse it well. Pat it dry, then poke a hole about 1/2 inch away from one corner so you can run string through it to hang. Hang the pork for at least 2 weeks, and preferably 4 to 8 weeks in a dark place that is between 45°F and 60°F, with between 65 and 75 percent humidity. If you are curing other things with your lardo, you might want to wrap the fatback in cheesecloth, and then again loosely with foil. The foil blocks the light when you open the curing fridge door.

HOW TO MAKE LARDO

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients (except pork) together to create the cure mix.
• Place pork in cure mix and distribute evenly.
• Place into a black plastic garbage bag.
• Set in a container to hold in fridge for six months.
• Each month redistribute cure over the pork, ensuring all sides are covered with cure.
• After six months rinse, pat dry.
• Enjoy on its own or on fresh toast.

TOMATOES AND LARDO ON TOAST WITH BASIL OIL

Steps:

• Blanch the basil for 10 seconds in a pan of boiling water then plunge straight into iced water.
• Leave for 5 minutes, drain and squeeze well.
• Put the drained basil in a food processor with the sunflower oil and a pinch of salt, and whizz for 5 minutes until very smooth.
• Line a colander, over a bowl, with muslin and pour in the oil.
• Gather up the edges, tie in a knot and hang over the bowl for 1-2 hours - we hang it over our kitchen sink, using the tap to suspend it.
• Put the tomatoes, 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, the red wine vinegar and some seasoning in a bowl, mix and leave for an hour at room temperature.
• Toast the sourdough slices and rub with the half clove of garlic.
• Top with the tomatoes, a good drizzle of the basil oil and the lardo slices.
• Blowtorch the lardo, or put under a hot grill, to lightly melt.

MOM'S LARD PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, a tablespoon at a time, until pastry holds together. Shape into a ball; chill for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Transfer to a 10-in. pie plate. Flute edges; fill and bake as pie recipe directs.

HOW TO MAKE PESTO MODENESE

Steps:

• Put into food processor and pulse, keep an eye on it as you want a spread not a puree.
• It can be used for a week if tightly covered with plastic wrap.

LARDO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Chop the lard very finely using a very sharp knife. Add the sage, rosemary and zest and season with salt and pepper. Mix well with the back of your knife or your hands. Alternatively, transfer the lard paste into a bowl and combine with a spoon.
• Serve on slices of unsalted Tuscan bread.

BRUSCHETTE AL LARDO DI COLONNATA

Steps:

• Mince 1 of the garlic halves and transfer to a bowl. Add tomatoes, rosemary, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt; mix well. Refrigerate tomato mixture for 1 hour.
• Rub the remaining garlic half over each slice of bread. Spread lardo onto each slice and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle ground pink peppercorns over tomato mixture.

WHIPPED LARDO

Steps:

• Grind the fat through the smallest setting on your meat grinder. Add the garlic and vinegar and begin massaging air into it. As you work with the meat, folding in air using a motion like a back rub or milking a cow, it will get softer and softer. Add in salt and pepper and rosemary and begin to taste. It will need a decent amount of salt to bring out the full flavors, though go more sparsely on the pepper and rosemary for that big pig flavor.