Older pics of my Canning Room

[Starlight]

I remember when a lot of our stuff was sealed with paraffin wax.

The lard, does that come from off your meat before you smoke it? Do you just boil the fat pieces down and than strain them?

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by Starlight

I remember when a lot of our stuff was sealed with paraffin wax.

The lard, does that come from off your meat before you smoke it? Do you just boil the fat pieces down and than strain them?

Yes. Lard comes from the trimmings. A nice sized hog will make 4-5 or more gallons of lard.

The fat trimmings are then cut in to small pieces and cooked to render the lard from them. When the fat pieces float to the top and start making a crackling noise the lard is done. The pieces are then called cracklins'..While the lard is still warm, the cracklins are dipped off, and it is strained through a cloth to remove small bits then stored in containers until used. A "lard can" was traditionally used to store lard. Lard cans are still available, but I find it much more efficient to seal it in jars while it's still warm.

[JamesL]

Mmmm, fresh cracklins... Drool ...
It's been a lot of years since I have had them.

[Worth1]

Lard is starting to make a comeback.

Worth

[coronabarb]

Yes to taking the rings off in storage - Worth is right. One huge reason is if something goes wrong in that jar and the food spoils, you want that lid to pop off as a warning. If a ring is left on a jar that goes bad, it can create what is known as a false seal. The lid can unseal and then seal back on. That's also the reason jars should not be stored upside down. Again, you wouldn't want the lid to unseal and then seal back with the weight. Sometimes, even when we follow the directions exactly, things go wrong.

[peppero]

INSPIRING!

jon

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Lard is starting to make a comeback.

Worth

I couldn't imagine frying a chicken or makin' biscuits without lard...

Or, squirrel and biscuits!

[shelleybean]

Oh my gosh, please invite me over to eat.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by coronabarb

Yes to taking the rings off in storage - Worth is right. One huge reason is if something goes wrong in that jar and the food spoils, you want that lid to pop off as a warning. If a ring is left on a jar that goes bad, it can create what is known as a false seal. The lid can unseal and then seal back on. That's also the reason jars should not be stored upside down. Again, you wouldn't want the lid to unseal and then seal back with the weight. Sometimes, even when we follow the directions exactly, things go wrong.

There has been a few times where I have seen the ring left on the jar and the lid wouldn't be sealed but the kid would be hard to get off.
Another thing is if you leave the lids on tight and put them away you might as well kiss the lid goodby.

Very rarely will I eat someone else's canned food, if I do I have to know how they preserved it.
I picked this up from my mother who put up hundreds of jars of food every year.
Some guy at work a few years ago tried to give me some green beans that hadn't been pressure cooked.

Hellmanns your stuff looks great I would eat it any day.

Worth

[Worth1]

Speaking of lard, did yall know you can render off different grades of lard depending on where you get the fat from on the pig and how you process it?

Worth

[Father'sDaughter]

While they still sell blocks of lard in the grocery store (usually in the dairy case near the butter), I've found it to be quite nasty. My friend occasionally still fries in it, and it leaves everything with an off taste.

[JamesL]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

While they still sell blocks of lard in the grocery store (usually in the dairy case near the butter), I've found it to be quite nasty. My friend occasionally still fries in it, and it leaves everything with an off taste.

I occasionally find good lard at the farmers market. Either that or order the "organic" version online. The only good use for the grocery store stuff is seasoning blued steel or cast iron.

[Zana]

Originally Posted by JamesL

I occasionally find good lard at the farmers market. Either that or order the "organic" version online. The only good use for the grocery store stuff is seasoning blued steel or cast iron.

I have been known to get some great stuff from the Mennonites/Amish at the local Farmer's Market.

Agree with James, that most of the supermarket stuff is only good for seasoning steel and cast iron.

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Speaking of lard, did yall know you can render off different grades of lard depending on where you get the fat from on the pig and how you process it?

Worth

I always render the leaf lard separately. Makes the best crusts and biscuits!

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

While they still sell blocks of lard in the grocery store (usually in the dairy case near the butter), I've found it to be quite nasty. My friend occasionally still fries in it, and it leaves everything with an off taste.

Good lard is basically tasteless, it lets the foods flavor shine through. Sounds as if your friends lard has gone putrid, or guttural fat was rendered in the mix . Lard should be kept cool, and used within a few months or frozen.