Homemade Pork Lard Scratchings

Homemade Crispy Pork Lard Scratchings Recipe

Those Homemade Crispy Pork Lard Scratchings are a perfect Keto Snack, that can be used in baking, cooking or just on its own. This lightly caramelized Lard with smoky flavor is a secret ingredient to our Low Carb, Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Lifestyle. 

Pork Lard spread, together with Lard Scratchings were and still are one of the must-have ingredients in Slovak cuisine. 

Never-ending Childhood memories

As a kid, I have grown up with the best breakfast of lard spread on a Keto Farmers Bread and slices of onions. 

Sprinkled with a bit of salt, this was the best ever tasty bread we used to have as kids. 

Of course, we have at that time used ordinary bread, because nobody had any idea you can make bread other than using normal flour. 

Keto Bread Recipes

But now no more. Our Keto Bread Recipes variation is proof you can still enjoy it fully. 

The second best ever recipe was to use Pork Lard Scratchings in our famous Pagach, which is something similar to the savory biscuit. And I promise I am going to make this recipe and share it with you. Hopefully soon. 

What is Lard?

Lard is pure fat from pork which does not contain any trans fat and therefore is one of the best dietary choices. 

Lard has for centuries been a very important ingredient in many cultures. 

Pure lard has been used instead of butter during the world war because of its availability as well as price. 

Advantages of Lard

Compared to butter, Lard has got much less saturated fat and cholesterol and more of the unsaturated fat. 

It is a low-temperature fat and therefore it is not advisable to overheat it above 360F or 190C.

Lard doesn’t oxidize when heated, which is another great benefit.

Homemade Lard and its Scratchings is, of course, the best choice as you can control from where you have purchased the Lard, what type of Lard you have used, and the way you made it to retain the most of the healthiness, this keto snack can offer. 

Pork fat made into Lard as well as Scratchings

And therefore we are going to be making today the best ever caramelized Homemade Crispy Pork Lard Scratchings with an unforgettable smoky flavor.

And as a by-product, you get the whitest ever Pork Lard spread for your morning Keto Breakfast. 

All done without any hassle, you will be making this time after time. 

How to make Crispy Pork Lard?

Making perfect crispy lard can be done in 2 ways.

1. On a Stove Top, where you regularly mix the fat while taking the already melted Fat away.
2. In the oven with much easier steps, since there is no worry of Lard burning on the bottom of the pot.

In our recipe, we are going to render the fat in the oven – the second choice.

All you have to do is Melt, Strain and Enjoy. 

How easy is that?

Kitchen equipments you will need:

• Glass Casserole dish
• Weck Jar or a Mason Jar
• Small Strainer
  

Ingredients needed:

• Pork Fat
• Salt
  

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE THE BEST PORK LARD AND SCRATCHINGS.

First step: Clean and Cut

First of all, make sure that all of the pork fat is clean.

If you are unsure, wash the fat properly and dry it with a paper napkin. 

Cut the pork fat into approximately 2 cm or half an inch size squares. 

The size is pretty important as while rendering, the fat will still shrink and if you will end up with really small crumbs.

Second Step: Casserole and Water

Once all the fat is cut into squares, place it inside a glass casserole and pour a little bit of water underneath. 

The water is important for the beginning. As the rendering process starts, your squares can get burned quickly. You really only need a small amount of water for the beginning. Do not worry. Afterward, this water will evaporate during the process. Place the casserole into the oven and let the rendering process start.

Third Step: Halfway – strain

Approximately halfway, which is after about an hour you will see that there is enough lard already melted. This is the best time to take the casserole out and strain all the lard into a glass jar through a strainer. 

You can make this process a few times if you wish. I have only done that once and that was more than enough.

Fourth Step: Pure Lard Spread

As you see in the picture, you will end up with a by-product called Pure Lard. 

This Lard is bright yellow in color, white melted, but once it cools down the color will turn into a beautiful pure white. 

Do not throw it, as this is another best ingredient to use either as a spread or during your cooking or baking savory dishes.

Fifth Step: Strain more Fat

Once all the scratchings are done, take the casserole out of the oven, strain the remaining melted lard and place the scratchings on a paper towel. This will make sure that any additional oil is taken away and you will end up with a beautiful crispy flavorful Keto snack.

Sixth step: Season

As Lard scratchings on its own do not have any flavor you could sprinkle it with salt or additional spices if you wish. 

You can enjoy it straight away or save it in a mason jar for the future.

Tips and Tricks:

Size – do not cut the fat into very small pieces, otherwise, you will get really tiny bits. The fat shrinks while rendering, so approximately 2cm or half an inch is the best. 

Baking time – The baking time really depends on the sizes you have cut the fat into as well as the size of the casserole and amount of fat used. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

To add to the healthiness have a look at our Ginger Turmeric Energy Shot which is great to make from time to time to boost our Immune System.

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Full Recipe For Pork Lard Scratchings with a Print Out Option

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