Salumi is not salami, but the reverse is not true.

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Lardo.

Dry cure:
1/2 lb kosher salt
4 oz sugar
1 oz "pink" curing salt

3 1/2 lbs pork belly, in one piece with the skin removed
6 bay leaves
1 bunch fresh thyme
1/4 cup black peppercorns

Mix the cure ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle a quarter of the dry cure mix into a nonreactive baking pan large enough to hold the pork belly. Place the belly in the pan and sprinkle the remaining cure over it. Distribute the remaining ingredients on top of the belly and cover with plastic wrap, then wrap it in foil to protect the pork from light. (Fat is damaged by light. Too bad we can't damage our own into nonexistence that way.) Weight the pork with about 10 lbs and refrigerate for 10-12 days, turning it and rubbing it twice to redistribute the cure. It should be uniformly dense and stiff.

Remove the pork from the pan, rinse thoroughly under cold water, and pat dry. Wrap it in a few layers of cheesecloth, poke a hole in one corner, and tie a string through to make a loop for hanging. Hang the wrapped belly in a cool, dark, humid place (60 F, 60-70% humidity) for 18-24 days. (I left mine for 21.)

What worked: We got lardo in our last salted pig parts box, so I did a side-by-side comparison. The flavor of mine was fairly comparable on toast. Mmm... pig butter.

What didn't: The texture was not. I think I forgot to weight down the belly, so while it seemed relatively stiff when I hung it, mine never got to the right texture. Boccalone's lardo is the texture of refrigerated butter; mine is softer and greasier, also melty-er. This supports the "I didn't get enough liquid out of the fat" theory.

Will I make it again? Yup. I want to see if I can get it right, for one thing. Of course, we have approximately five pounds of this batch to go through... which is going to take a really long time for us to eat.
This is a neat alternative to butter and a good appetizer, especially on fresh bread.

Comments

[spiderdust.livejournal.com]

Did you find your pink curing salt locally, or do I need to order it?

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

I ordered it. And congratulations!

[spiderdust.livejournal.com]

*grins* Thanks! We're still getting over the shock.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

I use Insta-Cure #1. (http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=50) #2 is meant for longer-term curing, such as dry sausages.