Ingredients

Pork fat

Other Names: Caul: Amnio or cuffia (Italian), caul fat, crépine (French). Fatback: Back fat or rindless back fat (British), bardière découennée (French, without rind), grasa dorsal (Spanish), lard gras or bardière (French), lardo (Italian), lardo scotennato (Italian, without rind). Lard: Flomen or Schweineschmalz (German), manteca (Spanish), panne (French), sugna (Italian). Salt pork: Petit sale (French), salume (Italian), tocino (Spanish, also used for bacon), white bacon.

General Description: Fats from pork are often used in cooking and baking to add rich flavor. Caul, or mesentery, is a delicate lacy net of fat about a yard (1 m) square, used to wrap lean meats while roasting, called barding. As the caul fat melts it moistens the meat and also keeps it wrapped into a compact shape.

Fatback is a strip of fresh fat from the back of the pig, though it may also be found salted. Fresh fatback can be rendered into lard. Thin sheets of fatback are used to wrap lean roasts or to line terrines. Garlic-clove-size chunks of fatback, called lardons, are inserted at intervals using a larding needle into the flesh of drier cuts of meat to add succulence. Tender, flavorful, nearly transparent slices of cured lardo, the Italian version of fatback, are considered a delicacy. The rind (or skin) is usually cut away but is excellent added to a pot of greens, baked beans, soup, or braising meat to lend richness.

Rich and flavorful, lard is used in many European countries for deep- and pan-frying. It is widely used in South America and is essential for making tamales. In the American South, lard is the secret to tender, flaky biscuits. The firmest and most prized type, leaf lard, is separated into leaves from around the kidneys.

Although some salt pork (not to be confused with unsalted fatback) may look like slab bacon and may also be cut from the side of the pig, it is most commonly cut from the belly. Much more fatty than bacon and unsmoked, salt pork is cured with salt. It is used mostly for enrichment and flavoring and is an important ingredient in Boston baked beans.

Part of Animal: Caul is the thin fatty lining of a pig’s stomach. Fatback comes from the upper portion of the back and lies between the loin eye and the skin of the back. Lard may be rendered from all pork fatty tissue; hard leaf lard surrounding the kidneys is considered best. Salt pork is cut from the sides and belly.

Characteristics: Fatback is firm and supple tissue that mostly consists of fat suspended in a network of fine connective tissue. Unprocessed lard has a strong flavor and a soft texture; processed lard is firmer with a milder, nutty flavor and longer shelf life. Salt pork is a thick block of fat usually containing some streaks of lean meat.

How to Choose: Look for caul in the meat sections of Asian or Mediterranean markets, or order it. Fatback is not as common now as it once was, because pigs are much leaner these days. You may find either rind-on or rindless fatback. Choose fresh-smelling lard. Salt pork is generally found precut into 4-inch square portions.

Amount to Buy: One caul will bard one bird or roast. Allow 1/4 pound per person when using fatback or salt pork. You may need to special order fresh fatback. Purchase as much lard as is called for in your recipe. Salt pork may often be found vacuum-packed in 1-pound packages in the meat case.

Storage: Caul is usually found frozen. It can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Fresh fatback may be refrigerated for up to 1 week; if cured, it may be refrigerated for up to 1 month. Lard should be tightly wrapped to prevent absorption of other flavors and may be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Store salt pork refrigerated for up to a month.

1. Soak the caul in warm water with a little vinegar and then stretch it out gently (it tears easily). Pat dry.
2. Use to wrap game birds, such as pheasant or quail, calf’s liver, or pâtés to baste them as they cook.

Fatback: To cut into sheets, freeze the fatback for about 1 hour. Using a long, thin knife, slice sheets that are as thin as possible paralleling the length of the fatback. Drape the sheets over lean meats before cooking.

Lard: Lard needs no preparation for baking. For frying, it must be melted and heated to the desired temperature.

Salt Pork: If milder flavor and less saltiness is desired, bring a small pot of cold water to a boil. Add the salt pork and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse.

Cut a crisscross diamond pattern into the skin-side surface of the salt pork, or cut into 1-inch squares. Place in the pot when cooking beans or into a pot of simmering soup.

Flavor Affinities: Caul: Bay leaves, duck, pâté, pheasant, quail, salmon, thyme. Fatback and Salt Pork: Brown sugar, cabbage, molasses, mustard, onions, sauerkraut, turnips. Lard: Bay leaves, caraway, corn, chile, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onions, rosemary, thyme.

from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com