"Life Without Bread"

[SolarMother]

Gertrudes

Two weeks ago we rendered some lard and made pork scratchings. The secret for stove rendering is to have the pieces of fat cooking on very, very low heat. Just a little bit too high and they'll harden. It is also important to take all bits of skin off, if any, as the skin will also harden. Skin does great stews though, it stays soft and yummy.

We also made sure to keep just one layer of pieces of fat, if you add too much they won't cook evenly, and will also tend to harden. This does take a while to do, for us it was a whole day because we had a lot of fat, although you can always do other things whilst leaving the fat on the stove, occasionally glancing at it, taking out what's cooked and adding more.

We had about 5 days supply of pork scratchings afterwards and boy, are they delicious! They're also extremely filling, so a good way to cut out on food bills.

Did you deep fry pieces of pork in your rendered lard? I wasn't sure what you were saying exactly.
If you're interested, here is another way to make pork scratchings that I have found.
Just score the long pieces of fat that are placed on a baking tray (in my case pork belly strips) then sprinkle baking soda on them, spread evenly (thin layer) and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Then you salt the pieces and cut them up-- then you can deep fry them in the rendered lard at a higher heat. It doesn't take as long, and somehow the baking soda softens the pork belly, so that you don't have to worry about the pieces hardening. They come out crispy and light--no toughness. Quite filling, as you mentioned.
Just another way I thought I would mention. :)

 

[Gertrudes]

Did you deep fry pieces of pork in your rendered lard? I wasn't sure what you were saying exactly.

Yes, gradually the fat becomes liquid and you keep draining it into a pot - that's the lard - after a while you are left with a few pieces that won't liquefy any more - those are the pork scratchings. Salt is added after they're done.

If you're interested, here is another way to make pork scratchings that I have found.
Just score the long pieces of fat that are placed on a baking tray (in my case pork belly strips) then sprinkle baking soda on them, spread evenly (thin layer) and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Then you salt the pieces and cut them up-- then you can deep fry them in the rendered lard at a higher heat. It doesn't take as long, and somehow the baking soda softens the pork belly, so that you don't have to worry about the pieces hardening. They come out crispy and light--no toughness. Quite filling, as you mentioned.
Just another way I thought I would mention. :)

Oh, I have to try that, sounds yummy! Thanks SolarMother.

Tomorrow I'm actually going to buy some more pork fat and render it again. I've been dreaming of pork scratchings for the whole week, waiting for the weekend just to get it done :D
The fat is not organic though, it is the only thing I haven't yet managed to find organic. I found organic offal, even organic bones, but no fat. I called so many organic meat farms, none can arrange it for me. What on earth do they do with it??

 

[liffy]

The fat is not organic though, it is the only thing I haven't yet managed to find organic. I found organic offal, even organic bones, but no fat. I called so many organic meat farms, none can arrange it for me. What on earth do they do with it??

It gets shipped off to TPTB, obviously

 

[SeekinTruth]

Seekin Truth's question about marinating ground pork brings up another question. Is the pork to be marinated before mincing/grinding? Can you marinate already ground pork - and have it still remain easy to work with in patties, and not be overpowered by the vinegar taste? It would seem a messy proposition, but then I have never tried it.

Yes, I'm marinating already minced pork. I tried it with fresh, hand-squeezed lemon juice, then apple cider vinegar, and then a bit of both. It makes the burgers light and fluffy with an enhanced flavor -- just enhancing the same delicious flavor they had without marinating. I had the same experience with marinating pork chops with fresh, hand-squeezed lemon juice AND apple cider vinegar as you, Rabelais. It seemed to really tenderize the pork chop and had a subtle flavor added, although I didn't notice that it was an apple flavor.

As far as any negative nutritional effects of marinating, I'm not sure either. Haven't been able to find anything on that.

 

[SeekinTruth]

The fat is not organic though, it is the only thing I haven't yet managed to find organic. I found organic offal, even organic bones, but no fat. I called so many organic meat farms, none can arrange it for me. What on earth do they do with it??

It gets shipped off to TPTB, obviously

Yup, my thoughts exactly! Why else would it be so hard to find something so healthy -- organic pork fat?

 

[liffy]

I've been making vinegar and lemon marinades for pork lately as well, and have the same experience as you guys; in that the meat gets more tender, and has a subtle acidic flavour to it.

In terms of nutritional value of the marinated meat, I can only think of it as beneficial. The acidic marinade will probably do some of the work that the stomach acids otherwise would have to deal with all by themselves; making it easier to digest.

Edit: This is also something that I've been using when making fish soups; letting it sit in the marinade for a while, and then adding it into the soup right before it's ready for serving, which prevents dryness, and seems to make it digest easier.

 

[Rabelais]

Thanks Seekin Truth and liffy for the marinating feedback. Due to my swallowing issues I have stayed away from ground pork. The little bits of gristle come back up later and have to be spit out, but marinating/tenderizing minced pork might be a viable workaround.

If you're interested, here is another way to make pork scratchings that I have found.
Just score the long pieces of fat that are placed on a baking tray (in my case pork belly strips) then sprinkle baking soda on them, spread evenly (thin layer) and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Then you salt the pieces and cut them up-- then you can deep fry them in the rendered lard at a higher heat. It doesn't take as long, and somehow the baking soda softens the pork belly, so that you don't have to worry about the pieces hardening. They come out crispy and light--no toughness. Quite filling, as you mentioned.
Just another way I thought I would mention. :)

Thanks for the lessons SolarMother and Gertrudes. Here is another thing that I want to try. I can't believe that the French haven't made and marketed pork rinds/scratchings. They do this with duck fat/skin (grattons de canard), which are great salty snacks for paleo dieters, but no pork... and they have lots of pork around here. Headed off to the butcher's in a minute to see if there are any pork bellies in my future (that would be a commodities trader pun)

Question: Can the lard in which the bicarbonate of soda dressed bellies have been fried be reused - or does the bicarb render it useless? ('nother bad pun).

Perceval turned me on to Iberico/Iberique(fr) pork ribs recently. These are from pigs fed exclusively on acorns. Supposed to be incredible. I bought some this week and will be slow smoking them over French oak this afternoon. I can't wait to try it.

 

[Rabelais]

Another thing that I've been meaning to mention is something that has been puzzling me greatly over the past months. I've posted before about my problems with liquid warm fat, which seemed to cause me problems, versus cold hard fat. Well, I'm no longer sure about this, as it seems that the problem doesn't lie in the fat (unless it isn't organic), but whether the meat is freshly cooked (and I'm specifically referring to stews and roasts here), or if it's re heated. Strangely enough, I do very bad with freshly cooked stews/roasts, and seem to have no problems at all when they are re heated. When I first noticed this I didn't quite believe it and put it down to the liquid fat that is more abundant in newly cooked meat. But, time and time again, and experiencing with eating little fat, I get the same reaction. If I don't have an extremely small portion, my digestion tends to stop. But if I eat it the next day, AFTER it has cooled down, I can eat it without a problem.

I've had the opportunity to experience this so many times, and my partner has also observed it, that right now I am convinced that there has to be some sort of chemical reaction involved for this to be happening.
At first I thought that this had to do with the cooling down process, and my partner even compared it to what happens with pasteurization. [...]

I do not know the nuts and bolts of this phenomena, but back when I used to eat everything I observed that chili, marinara, soups, stews, etc., always tasted better after being allowed to fully cool to room temp and then reheated. it was as if the temp reduction allowed the flavors to marry fully. This was also the case in portions that had been refrigerated or frozen. Probably the same dynamic at work that is causing your physical responses. Unfortunately I have no idea what it is.

 

[Miss.K]

Funny, I just called the dermatologist today to make an appointment, I've had this itchy rash on my forehead only, for ages now. It gets better and worse, and the last couple weeks have been worse. I've used DMSO on it, take betaine hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes, magnesium, Vit C, Omega 3s and krill oil, Vit D, milk thistle, boswellia, etc. In the summer, I first thought it was poison ivy.

The dermatologist can't see me till December 12, geeze. It's probably digestive related though.

I have used coconut oil as face cream lately, and the rash on my forehead has disappeared. It might be unrelated, just thought I'd mention it :)

 

[Gertrudes]

The fat is not organic though, it is the only thing I haven't yet managed to find organic. I found organic offal, even organic bones, but no fat. I called so many organic meat farms, none can arrange it for me. What on earth do they do with it??

It gets shipped off to TPTB, obviously

I bet they hide it in a cave too, as ALL non rendered organic pork fat in UK is nowhere to be found

On the subject of marinated pork, I recently marinated some pork shops overnight and really liked the flavor after cooking.

I do not know the nuts and bolts of this phenomena, but back when I used to eat everything I observed that chili, marinara, soups, stews, etc., always tasted better after being allowed to fully cool to room temp and then reheated. it was as if the temp reduction allowed the flavors to marry fully. This was also the case in portions that had been refrigerated or frozen. Probably the same dynamic at work that is causing your physical responses. Unfortunately I have no idea what it is.

Yes, I've noticed the same thing. Makes sense, thanks for mentioning Rabelais. I also think there is some sort of reaction in this cooking/cooling/reheating process that not only affects flavor, but may have the potential to affect digestion.

I have used coconut oil as face cream lately, and the rash on my forehead has disappeared. It might be unrelated, just thought I'd mention it :)

There's a good probability that it is related Miss.K, coconut oil is a potent anti-fungal. Its anti-fungal properties come mainly from one of its fatty acids: caprylic acid. Considering that rashes can be fungal, maybe coconut oil did heal it.
I had a few fungal rashes a couple of months back while doing the candida protocol, and if it weren't for the coconut oil I would have really struggled with itchiness.

 

[Rabelais]

Funny, I just called the dermatologist today to make an appointment, I've had this itchy rash on my forehead only, for ages now. It gets better and worse, and the last couple weeks have been worse. I've used DMSO on it, take betaine hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes, magnesium, Vit C, Omega 3s and krill oil, Vit D, milk thistle, boswellia, etc. In the summer, I first thought it was poison ivy.

The dermatologist can't see me till December 12, geeze. It's probably digestive related though.

I have used coconut oil as face cream lately, and the rash on my forehead has disappeared. It might be unrelated, just thought I'd mention it :)

This is maybe more common than thought. Is the rash just under the hairline on the forehead? If so, I have been experiencing it - at least where my hairline used to be :( I took some silver gel to the chateau a couple of weeks ago. Psyche applied it to her forehead, around the hairline. She also had some skin thing going on there. Psyche, did the gel do anything for you?

I use the silver gel a lot on my head, after showers, and it seems to keep the rash in check, but I primarily use it to moisturize the top of my head so that I don't get flaky dry skin. Also, my rash didn't itch, just little red bumps that I have a tendency to unconsciously pick at.

I wonder if this might be a reaction to one or some of the supplements that we are taking, possibly too aggressively? Perhaps if anyone who is experiencing this could list the supplements, daily doses (mg?) and particulars like time of day, with or without food, etc., we could find a common thread.

I take daily: Omega 3 as fish oil 1000mg 2x with meals, E 400mg 2x with meals, C as mineral ascorbates 5g 2x, B complex 1-2x, Mg 800g as citrate, malate or glycinate (rotation), C chewable rosehips and bioflavonids 1000 mg as after dinner "dessert".

Regularly, but not daily: combo capsule CoQ10/ALA/L Carnitine 4-5x per week, L Carnitine 700mg 2-3x per week, zinc picolinate 22mg 2-3x per week (get zinc as ascorbate daily), potassium ascorbate 700mg 3-4x per week, L glutamine 4500mg 2-4x per week, D3 5-10000mcg/iu 2-3x per week depending on sun exposure, NAC ocassionally, digestive enzymes when needed. There are a great many other supplements here, but I take them only when I feel they are needed.

Edit: I forgot to mention chlorella and selenium are also frequently taken.

 

[mcb]

Yup, my thoughts exactly! Why else would it be so hard to find something so healthy -- organic pork fat?

Partly because some animals are being bred for less fat "for your protection".

 

[SeekinTruth]

Yup, my thoughts exactly! Why else would it be so hard to find something so healthy -- organic pork fat?

Partly because some animals are being bred for less fat "for your protection".

Ahhh, yes, of course!! "For our protection!!"

 

[Miss.K]

I have used coconut oil as face cream lately, and the rash on my forehead has disappeared. It might be unrelated, just thought I'd mention it :)

There's a good probability that it is related Miss.K, coconut oil is a potent anti-fungal. Its anti-fungal properties come mainly from one of its fatty acids: caprylic acid. Considering that rashes can be fungal, maybe coconut oil did heal it.
I had a few fungal rashes a couple of months back while doing the candida protocol, and if it weren't for the coconut oil I would have really struggled with itchiness.

Might be the rash is fungal, as I've been struggling with Candida before. (but never showing in my forehead before) My stomach used to be inflated, but isn't any more due to the diet. I mostly eat pork with salt only, but have noticed that whenever adding something, like one sweet potato, the stomach gets inflated again, and I think that it might be that whenever the Candida gets anything to eat it comes back. (apparently Candida isn't a big fan of pork)
I think though that I might have Jinxed it, by saying it was gone, as I saw a red spot this morning, and now it itches a bit.

I wonder if this might be a reaction to one or some of the supplements that we are taking, possibly too aggressively? Perhaps if anyone who is experiencing this could list the supplements, daily doses (mg?) and particulars like time of day, with or without food, etc., we could find a common thread.

I take daily: Omega 3 as fish oil 1000mg 2x with meals, E 400mg 2x with meals, C as mineral ascorbates 5g 2x, B complex 1-2x, Mg 800g as citrate, malate or glycinate (rotation), C chewable rosehips and bioflavonids 1000 mg as after dinner "dessert".

Regularly, but not daily: combo capsule CoQ10/ALA/L Carnitine 4-5x per week, L Carnitine 700mg 2-3x per week, zinc picolinate 22mg 2-3x per week (get zinc as ascorbate daily), potassium ascorbate 700mg 3-4x per week, L glutamine 4500mg 2-4x per week, D3 5-10000mcg/iu 2-3x per week depending on sun exposure, NAC ocassionally, digestive enzymes when needed. There are a great many other supplements here, but I take them only when I feel they are needed.

I have not been taking supplements (due to poverty) except omega 3 when I remember to take them, so for my part it can't be supplement related.
I have just ordered supplements, as I got a bit of cash, and I thought the rash might come from lacking something ;)

 

[Laura]

I have not been taking supplements (due to poverty) except omega 3 when I remember to take them, so for my part it can't be supplement related.
I have just ordered supplements, as I got a bit of cash, and I thought the rash might come from lacking something ;)

I believe that the issue of rashes was discussed a little ways back in the thread and is thought to be related to systems coming back online with the changeover from carb metabolism to fat metabolism. I think it could also be related to some DNA reactivation due to the diet. Several of us here had a bit of this and it lasted in vary degrees for a few months, but eventually went away.