A Question of Utmost Importance

[noelscot]

Ok, so this a very urgent question. It is not a joke. I got hooked on salo while I was in Ukraine, and now I am jonesing for salo like nobody's business. There is a Russian supermarket in Atlanta that I will go to on 9 April, when I visit to see Russian rock group Arkona. But in the meantime, if any of you Ladies would be so kind as to share some authentic how-to-make salo recipes, I will forever be in your debt.


My basic understanding is that I get a chunk of uncut, unsalted pork fatback, pack it in salt with a pinch of sodium nitrate (salt peter), then let that hang out in the refrigerator in a tupperware container for about 3 weeks, periodically checking it and rotating it as necessary.


I live in an area where I cannot buy already prepared salo from supermarket, and it is more economical to make it than to order it online. Plus, I want it to taste as close to the real deal as possible.


I did research the internet before I proposed this question, but the results were ni horosho.


Thank you for any recipes you have.

[BC]

Is trichinosis still a problem in the US?

Never saw cured pork there at all and still hear all pork should be cooked.

[noelscot]

Is trichinosis still a problem in the US?

Never saw cured pork there at all and still hear all pork should be cooked.

I have no idea about the prevalence of trichinosis in the States versus, say, Ukraine. We have salted, cured pork fatback here in the states, which is generally used to flavor boiled greens. But is is not taken the same way as salo, nor is it as tasty.
 
I went to two butchers today asking for some uncured, unsalted, uncut pork fatback for making homemade salo and had little success.
 
This is pure hell not having salo!

[Faux Pas]

Most all farm raised meat in the US goes through some sort of process (nuking) that is "supposed to kill all trichinosis, salmonella and others. Of course given the fairly recent Ebola, salmonella scares obviously it isn't 100% but, it does generally work. That aside, raw pork will kill you several other ways.

[BC]

As a kid, my parents would sometimes get a good Smithfield ham for festivities.. Was always cooked but I did want to try it raw many times but was always warned.  OTOH we ate prosciutto crudo at least weekly..



http://www.academiabarilla.com/italian-recipes/meats-charcuterie/prosciutto-parma-1.aspx

[Miri22]

Just go to the local market and get fatty pork chops, slice the fat off & rub in salt. If you can find pork ribs with a fat cap still attached you can just peel it off & rub.

[BC]

That aside, raw pork will kill you several other ways.

Possibly more so when cooked.

As far as life expectancy goes it doesn't seem to be dangerous at all.

http://www.indexmundi.com/map/?v=30

There's even a good 3 year difference with your northern neighbor that is on par with EU... wonder what that is all about..

[noelscot]

This is the Italian variant of salo, lardo, and it is a good framework for the basic idea of making salo.


http://honest-food.net/wild-game/wild-boar-recipes/wild-boar-charcuterie/lardo-or-italian-cured-pork-fat/

[noelscot]

http://www.gastronomicalme.com/2011/05/24/finally-curing-salo-pork-back-fat/


This a recipe from a Russian-Ukrainian gal from Estonia on how to make salo.


 

[ECOCKS]

I'm from Memphis, TN where soul food is still cooked regularly at homes and in a few restaurants. I'd expect to find fat back or salt pork in most any good butcher shop or meat department in TN, AL, MS, AL, LA, GA, KY, MO or AK, so IF I were home and wanted fatback (that's a big IF) I'd drive to the store and get some.

In Idaho I'd call one of the local meat markets or a couple of the larger groceries with their own butcher shops and ask if they had any.

You might also try a restaurant supply place like Sysco or US Foods.

If all else fails, look for a restaurant advertising "soul food"  and call them to ask where they get theirs.

Lard of various types should be available at Sam's Club or maybe a Whole Foods or Organic grocer.

[noelscot]

I'm from Memphis, TN where soul food is still cooked regularly at homes and in a few restaurants. I'd expect to find fat back or salt pork in most any good butcher shop or meat department in TN, AL, MS, AL, LA, GA, KY, MO or AK, so IF I were home and wanted fatback (that's a big IF) I'd drive to the store and get some.

In Idaho I'd call one of the local meat markets or a couple of the larger groceries with their own butcher shops and ask if they had any.

You might also try a restaurant supply place like Sysco or US Foods.

If all else fails, look for a restaurant advertising "soul food"  and call them to ask where they get theirs.

Lard of various types should be available at Sam's Club or maybe a Whole Foods or Organic grocer.

Acquiring the fatback won't be terribly difficult in the southern U.S., as you say. Pork fat rules down here. There are lots of small independent pig farmers in Alabama, and when the next slaughter is nigh, I'll secure a lot of uncut, unsalted fatback for making salo. Somehow it seems simpler to just go back to Ukraine....
 
Do you have any inside knowledge on how to make salo?
 
 

[Doll]

My basic understanding is that I get a chunk of uncut, unsalted pork fatback, pack it in salt with a pinch of sodium nitrate (salt peter), then let that hang out in the refrigerator in a tupperware container for about 3 weeks, periodically checking it and rotating it as necessary.

 

 

You did everything right. Not sure about salt peter (never heard of it), but generously put a lot of salt at the bottom of the fat, then on top. Basically , keep it covered with salt. Before eating just remove the excess of salt from the piece that you want to eat (let the rest "sit" in salt).
Guys, they use it raw.

[Doll]

[Doll]

http://video.mail.ru/mail/vaha-vora/671/776.html

[Doll]

[Doll]

This is to all Russian/Ukrainian/Belorussian members of this board.

 
 

[noelscot]

This is to all Russian/Ukrainian/Belorussian members of this board.

 
 

Thank you!!! Gold! Pure gold! Here is another resource, but for already prepared salo:
 
http://skazkarussianfood.com/search?q=salo
 
 

[Doll]

To the topic starter with love)))))))))
 
 

[Doll]

[noelscot]

To the topic starter with love)))))))))
 
 

OMG! I want some salo so bad right now!!! Sigh. I ate about half a slab of bacon this morning, but it is not the same. I guess a trip to the Atlanta Russian food market is on this weekend's to-do list. I cannot wait three weeks, or however long, for my homemade salo to cure.

[LAman]

I think my life span just shortened a few years just looking at that fat!!!!

[newjason]

Scott,
Do you know how to make SaltPeter?

saltpeter is sodium or potassium --nitrite---nitrate---  all about the same thing

Here is how you make it.
 ammonia + nitric acid = ammonium nitrate +sodium hydroxide. (Lye) = Saltpeter

these chemicals are the active ingredient in explosives and gun powder.
The organic nitriles are burned to re-make nitric acid,  and this releases MASSIVE amounts of energy. 

Good for fireworks, Bad for Humans.
 Don't be putting this crap in your food  Dude.
It has been banned because it is know to cause Heart Disease and Diabetes.

So forget you ever heard the word Saltpeter.

You can use SEA SALT and it will dry the backfact just fine.

If you have such a taste for hardening your mitro valves, then why not  SMOKE your backfat instead?

It gives a great flavor,  and it's done in 2 days, instead of 2 months.

you can get a little  smoker for about a 150.  and  you can have smoked fatback   oops  SALO  on Monday night.

[Slumba]

newjason, interesting comment, I think Cabela's even sells indoor smokers that run off electric...

Don't know if this link will work right ...

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Premium-Electric-Smoker/732447.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dsmoker%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=smoker&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[noelscot]

Scott,
Do you know how to make SaltPeter?

saltpeter is sodium or potassium --nitrite---nitrate---  all about the same thing

Here is how you make it.
 ammonia + nitric acid = ammonium nitrate +sodium hydroxide. (Lye) = Saltpeter

these chemicals are the active ingredient in explosives and gun powder.
The organic nitriles are burned to re-make nitric acid,  and this releases MASSIVE amounts of energy. 

Good for fireworks, Bad for Humans.
 Don't be putting this crap in your food  Dude.
It has been banned because it is know to cause Heart Disease and Diabetes.

So forget you ever heard the word Saltpeter.

You can use SEA SALT and it will dry the backfact just fine.

If you have such a taste for hardening your mitro valves, then why not  SMOKE your backfat instead?

It gives a great flavor,  and it's done in 2 days, instead of 2 months.

you can get a little  smoker for about a 150.  and  you can have smoked fatback   oops  SALO  on Monday night.

I have had Ukrainian salo, both a smoked version and a salt cured version. Invariably, the salt cured salo was tastier. I am not a medical doctor and cannot speak to the health hazards associated with salt peter. However, my layman understanding is that salt peter is commonly used to cure corned beef, etc. As far as I know, the FDA has not banned it, and you can purchase it in most drug stores.
 

 
I won't debate the health issues, but I prefer salt cured salo.   

[Doll]