After baking pork belly and bacon at 350F/177C, I've been straining and saving the oil into a glass container. I've noticed that the oil separates into a liquid clear yellow top layer and a thick creamy white opaque bottom layer. Is there something wrong with either layer? Should I only re-use 1 of the layers? I only reuse the oil once. I've been reusing the top liquid layer and throwing away the bottom thick layer, and I'm wondering if I'm doing it wrong.
Here is a quick video how pork fat/lard is usually made
In my country, you omit scallions, ginger, water, etc. - fat is done simply out of pure fresh pork belly and eventually salt (it all depends on a region).
After you´ve collected the fat, it starts cooling down and slowly/eventually it comes together into a buttery consistency - that is the white part on the bottom. Eventually, it looks like this:
So, the top part is simply the part that haven´t yet "solidified", and both are equally good. You store it in a dark and cold place and it can last a year or more, if stored properly. When it goes bad, you will notice it changes the smell.
What is not shown in the video is that you leave the pork belly in there to fry until it turns completely golden brown. After collecting the liquid fat from the pot, you then also squeeze extra fat from the golden parts as well (best use something
like this), and then you end up with both fat and delicious crunchy cracklings!
You simply salt them and eat them as a snack.
Edit: clarity