Lardo

When reading about lardo in books and online, I came across a couple of different ways of curing it. Traditionally I believe that the Tuscan "Lardo di Colonata" is rubbed in salt, a mixture of herbs, black pepper and garlic, then placed in a marble tub called a "Conca", which is then placed in caves for 6 months and then hung to dry.

I will do most of my belly in this traditional fashion rubbed with a mix of rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, garlic and bllack pepper. This will cure for six months and then I will hang it to dry.

The second method I will do combines the method described in Rhulman's Charcuterie. They cure the fatback for a recomended 10 - 12 days (or until firm throughout). I will combine this with one that was posted on studio kitchen, where the fatback was rubbed with all of the ingredients and then cryovaced, which in theory should reduce the curing time. To this I added red pepper flakes, hoping that a tiny bit of heat may come through.

I will keep you posted on the results before and after hanging, and hope that both of these methods turn out.


the fatback


being salted


ready to be packed and pressed


cryovaced fatback, ready to be pressed