AuthorChrisCategoryPolish cuisine, Starter and SidesDifficultyBeginnerAre you in the mood for something homemade and hearty with a Polish twist? Smalec, the yummy, smoky Polish lard spread is a perfect starter or snack and filling enough to be a whole meal.
I know, Polish Smalec is a dish that you may be skeptical about. Put your trust in me. I guarantee, it is tasty and not difficult to make. And please ignore the name my kids call it, Pig Jam. If you visit Poland, you may be served bread and smalec as a starter in a restaurant or accompanying your mug of beer. Bread, spread with lard, called Pajda in Polish, is a popular festival food here in Poland, served no matter the weather.
So here goes, Smalec according to my mother-in-law's recipe.
First prepare the fat to melt down in your pan. If your fatback has skin, separate the skin from the fat with a sharp knife and discard. As for the fat, chop it into small pieces or run it through a food processor or grinder instead.
Depending on your equipment, it can be easier to process if the fat is frozen first, so in that case cut the fat into pieces that will work well with your equipment and then freeze it prior to processing or grinding. Alternatively, if you have a good butcher, you can ask your butcher to grind the fat for you, but remember, without the skin.
Now you can melt down the fat, best in a deep frying pan. Put your fat into the pan and then place on low heat and start frying. All in all, it can take an hour to melt down or render the fat, but after about 20 minutes start adding the next ingredients.
Now for the cracklings. If your fat has meat on it you have built-in cracklings. If not, chop up the bacon and add it to the fat (that has been frying already for about 20 minutes). Feel free to use smoked bacon for an extra layer of flavor or even sausage or ground pork.
Next add the chopped onions and the peeled apple, either chopped or grated. Feel free to leave out the apple or use plums instead.
I recommend a crunchy and tart apple such as Granny Smith or if you want some sweetness then a Red Delicious.
Add the chopped garlic and other spices to taste. Be careful with the salt if your meat is already salted.
Fry until your cracklings are crispy and your onions are caramelized. The rendered fat should be completely transparent. In total it takes about an hour.
Cracklings are called skwarki in Polish.
Now choose how you'd like to store your lard, You can use a crockery pot with a tight fitting lid, a heat-safe food storage jar, or even a glass baking dish. I usually pour the lard into small wide-mouth jars that I can just pop on the table to serve straight from the jar. Ramekins are also nice for this purpose.
A crock especially for storing lard is called smalcówka in Polish.
Allow the lard to cool in the container you have chosen. As it cools, give it a stir from time to time, otherwise all those delicious morsels will sink to the bottom. After cooling, store your lard in the fridge for 2-4 weeks or freeze in small containers and pull out the night before you want to serve.
Smalec can be served on bread with additional salt sprinkled on top and with a Polish pickle, on top or on the side. Make sure your bread is a hearty and sturdy one to withstand the weight of the toppings. I recommend a good rye or my favorite komiśniak.
Smacznego to you!
Ingredients
Directions
First prepare the fat to melt down in your pan. If your fatback has skin, separate the skin from the fat with a sharp knife and discard. As for the fat, chop it into small pieces or run it through a food processor or grinder instead.
Depending on your equipment, it can be easier to process if the fat is frozen first, so in that case cut the fat into pieces that will work well with your equipment and then freeze it prior to processing or grinding. Alternatively, if you have a good butcher, you can ask your butcher to grind the fat for you, but remember, without the skin.
Now you can melt down the fat, best in a deep frying pan. Put your fat into the pan and then place on low heat and start frying. All in all, it can take an hour to melt down or render the fat, but after about 20 minutes start adding the next ingredients.
Now for the cracklings. If your fat has meat on it you have built-in cracklings. If not, chop up the bacon and add it to the fat (that has been frying already for about 20 minutes). Feel free to use smoked bacon for an extra layer of flavor or even sausage or ground pork.
Next add the chopped onions and the peeled apple, either chopped or grated. Feel free to leave out the apple or use plums instead.
I recommend a crunchy and tart apple such as Granny Smith or if you want some sweetness then a Red Delicious.
Add the chopped garlic and other spices to taste. Be careful with the salt if your meat is already salted.
Fry until your cracklings are crispy and your onions are caramelized. The rendered fat should be completely transparent. In total it takes about an hour.
Cracklings are called skwarki in Polish.
Now choose how you'd like to store your lard, You can use a crockery pot with a tight fitting lid, a heat-safe food storage jar, or even a glass baking dish. I usually pour the lard into small wide-mouth jars that I can just pop on the table to serve straight from the jar. Ramekins are also nice for this purpose.
A crock especially for storing lard is called smalcówka in Polish.
Allow the lard to cool in the container you have chosen. As it cools, give it a stir from time to time, otherwise all those delicious morsels will sink to the bottom. After cooling, store your lard in the fridge for 2-4 weeks or freeze in small containers and pull out the night before you want to serve.
Smalec can be served on bread with additional salt sprinkled on top and with a Polish pickle, on top or on the side. Make sure your bread is a hearty and sturdy one to withstand the weight of the toppings. I recommend a good rye or my favorite komiśniak.
Smacznego to you!
4 Comments
Joan Siekaniec
January 12, 2021 at 2:55 amMy granmother.made this for us as children and I never knew how. It was so good. Thank you
Chris
January 12, 2021 at 5:29 amI love how food brings back memories. Enjoy and smacznego to you!
Jeffrey
October 19, 2023 at 8:46 pmHow long will this last if stored correctly and sealed good
Chris
October 20, 2023 at 4:59 amI don’t have an exact expiration for you unfortunately, but I have managed to keep in like that in the fridge for weeks 🙂