Alma Gourmet Lardo Iberico 1.6lb Approx.

Lardo Iberico de Bellota

Lardo Iberico de Bellota is a type of salumi produced by curing strips of fatback.

The most famous lardo is from the Tuscan hamlet of Colonnata, where lardo has been made since Roman times.

Description

Decadent Acorn-Fed Backfat, the thickest backfat from Spain's famed Pata Negra pigs. These black-footed pigs wander in cork and oak groves in Southern Spain, eating a diet that consists of mostly acorns. It has an extremely high level of monounsaturated fat, approaching the qualities of olive oil. The resulting lardo is supple at room temperature and has a novel nutty characteristic. It is mostly consumed on its own or can be matched with grilled bread, beans, or fruit. 

On the dehesa near Salamanca in Spain are raised a special breed of black Iberian pigs that feed almost entirely on acorns (bellota). The acorn diet is expressed through their fat in both flavor and structure. Their fat has a distinctly nutty flavor and is very high in oleic acid, second only to olives. Oleic acid helps lower LDL levels (bad cholesterol,) and helps increase the level of HDL (good cholesterol). The unique diet also produces higher amounts of linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid, but one of our bodies cannot create. High amounts of these two unsaturated fatty acids and low amounts of saturated fats results in a lower melting point, which results in more efficient delivery of flavor aromas on your palate. The delicate aromatics and balanced salt that accentuate the flavors of acorn-fed pork, without overpowering it.

Menu Options

Slice lardo super thin (from frozen). Top crostini with stracciatella (or strained/whipped ricotta), drape lardo over top, and broil for 3-5 seconds until transparent. Drizzle with olive oil and finishing salt. Or, Lardo can be wrapped around melon or baked shrimp for a quick appetizer. 

Pairings

Sparkling Wine, Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Medium to light-bodied beers, Hoppy IPAs, Dry Ciders

There are several ways to make Lardo Iberico de Bellota. Some traditional lardo is made in Italy by soaking the backfat in an aromatic brine inside marble vats for months to years. Others use a dry cure, either excess or equilibrium. How it is cured doesn’t matter, but the important thing is to get a nice thick slab of back fat to cure, which is usually best acquired from a farmer who has raised pigs to have a great fat profile.  Some people allow lardo to cure and then serve it. Others cure it, let it hang to dry, and then serve it. Because lardo is 100% fat, it won’t lose much moisture when hung, and many people don’t find it necessary to hang to dry. Fat, spices, and time. That’s all it takes.

How to make homemade Lardo

A few things to remember: Don't bother trying this with a factory pig. They're bred lean and pumped full of nasty hormones and antibiotics, and those things tend to lodge themselves in fats. Go with a small grower who is raising pigs the old way. Farmer's markets are a good place to look. Another thing to remember is that fat hates the light. Light can turn pork fat rancid, so cure and hang lardo in the dark.

Prep Time 15 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course: Cured Meat

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 2 pounds

Ingredients

1-kilo high-quality pork back fat, in 2 pieces

20 grams kosher salt, about 2 rounded tablespoons

5 grams smoked salt (optional), about a rounded teaspoon

100 grams of sugar

4 grams Instacure No. 2, about 1/2 teaspoon

20 grams chopped fresh rosemary

10 grams of garlic powder

15 grams cracked black peppercorns

3 grams dried thyme

3 pieces of star anise pods

5 crushed bay leaves

Instructions

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 a 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. 

Notes

NOTE: You can leave the fat in the brine that forms far longer than 2 weeks. The Italians leave it for 6 months or more. It will get saltier the longer you leave it.

Lardo Iberico de Bellota (Price per 2.2lb circa). Some traditional lardo is made in Italy by soaking the backfat in an aromatic brine inside marble vats for months to years. Others use a dry cure, either excess or equilibrium. How it is cured doesn’t matter, but the important thing is to get a nice thick slab of back fat to cure, which is usually best acquired from a farmer who has raised pigs to have a great fat profile.  Some people allow lardo to cure and then serve it. Others cure it, let it hang to dry, and then serve it. Because lardo is 100% fat, it won’t lose much moisture when hung, and many people don’t find it necessary to hang to dry. Fat, spices, and time. That’s all it takes.