So, as I am once again getting to this task today, I decided to run it up again so that I can search and find it quicker down the road. Also so that anyone interested can see just what is involved...
Clean ALL hair, meat and blood off the fat, then chop into ~ one inch cubes:
Toss the cubes into your large diameter pot:
Add some water (I put about 4 cups to around 10 cups of fat this go):
Set your burner to medium heat, cover and monitor:
You do NOT want to get too hot or it will scorch. Keep around medium heat for the duration. Takes a couple of hours. During that time most of the water will boil off, but when it gets close to done, you want to remove the cover and let the rest of the water wander off.
You can tell it is done when the cracklings resemble piggy puffs, stop making noise as they boil, and turn a golden brown:
And, just like piggy puffs it is a mad scramble between the hounds and myself to see who gets the most! Yummy!!
Then set up your second pot with a double layer of cheesecloth for a filter, and the mason jars the same (I use old and clean game bags for this) in preparation for filtering:
This next step is a little tricky, and I advise Extreme Caution! Handling extremely hot oil can be very hazardous to your health!! Slowly and carefully pour the contents of your boiler pan into the next pot through the filter.
Then remove that filter, and pour into the mason jars. The liquid will appear like a fine oil at this point:
Cap and set to cool:
In my case the overnight temperatures dropped right down, so I simply left the product on the table out back all night. When cool, the lard turns snow white, and is an extremely fine oil / lard. It can be held for over a year when refrigerated, and damn near forever when frozen, and damn near forever once frozen.
It can be used any time you would cooking oil, makes the best pastry lard ever invented, and is an incredible preservative for leather (boots etc). There is indeed a reason our forefathers loved and relied on this stuff so much!
Won't have as much as last year as this boar was slightly smaller, and not nearly as larded up. Easy to understand as we've had such a warm fall this year, while last year's boar was shot when there was almost a foot of snow on the ground. Still should realize enough to get us through another full year methinks...
Today's task underway soon...
Cheers,
Nog
They are good for the soul not body.
