Lardo - cured back fat questions

The hog I cut up on the weekend had a humongous amount of fat under the skin, the backfat alone was OVER two inches thick. There is only so much lard I can fit in my freezer, so I thought why not cure some lardo. http://honest-food.net/wild-game/wild-pig-recipes/wild-boar-charcuterie/lardo-or-italian-cured-pork-fat/

Questions:
Do I want to cure lardo? Is it yummy? Is it useful?
Do I keep the skin on or remove it prior to curing?
Have you ever used lardo, if so, how did you use it?

ps, is it possible to can rendered lard or to store it outside my fridge (full) or freezers (also full) for more than a few weeks? Don't really feel like buying a new fridge/freezer just for fat storage... although it wouldn't be the strangest thing I've done this year.

trampledbygeese
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7 Comments

trampledbygeese
trampledbygeese February 17, 2015
Excellent answers. Thank you all.

I can see now that I must make lardo as soon as possible.
 
LeBec F.
LeBec F. February 18, 2015
There is a fairly new charcutterie cookbook by Jamie Bissonette, James Beard winner 2014; he does alot of neat things w/ lardo. Here in Boston, it started popping up on lots of restaurant menus in the last few years.
i agree with jan and sashy about the melty deliciousness of it on rustic bread. I did find out that not all lardo is created equal; who knew?
 
Jan W.
Jan W. February 17, 2015
Lardo is one of the most fantastically delicious things you will ever eat. In Italy you can usually buy it sold in rectangular chunks with a few rosemary and/or bay leaves on top (in Trentino often juniper berries as well). I think the best way to serve it is to slice it thin and eat at room temperature with other salumi, or with slices of rustic toasted bread. Also can wrap things with it just like prosciutto or bacon.
 
keg72
keg72 February 17, 2015
I also enjoy it as part of a salumi platter. I've been served a little bowl of it with some great sliced baguette -- great with a nice crisp white wine or champagne to cut through the richness of the fat.
 
Maedl
Maedl February 17, 2015
I love lardo. I have eaten it as part of a selection of salumi served as antipasti.

See http://www.emikodavies.com/blog/italian-table-talk-lardo-di-colonnata/ for ideas!
 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy February 17, 2015
Serious eats had a nice article on lardo, with some good suggestions on how to use it. (See here http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/05/nasty-bits-lardo-cured-fat-how-to-use.html) For me, one of the most wonderful ways to use it is very simple, with toasted bread and a garlic clove. You rub the clove into the bread to make it fragrant, then top it with a thin slice of lardo and it will practically melt. You can add a tomato, or some smoked paprika... It is also great with baby potatoes as in NYTimes recipe here http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8885-roasted-new-potatoes-and-tomatoes-with-lardo
 
Michael R.
Michael R. February 17, 2015
pack in salt to cure as lardo, yes. remove skin, use skin in soups and stews. can keep rendered fat in cool dark place out of the light.
 
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