Fat to preserve meat
 

Long ago, I recall an old time farmer once described a way they "used
to" store meat in the summer. I'm going by sheer recollection from many
years back and would appreciate any insight, anecdote or corrections you
all could offer.

According to my recollection, the farmers would render out fat to make
lard or tallow. During the summer months, beef or pork that was killed
for food was butchered and the meat submerged in the lard or tallow.
This would prevent deterioration for weeks or months. When needed the
wife would literally dig out a piece of meat to cook.

Was this just a fabrication, misrecollection or was this an actual
technique to preserve meat when it could not be frozen and salt curing
was not desired?

Nonny
--
---Nonnymus---
You don’t stand any taller by
trying to make others appear shorter.

Fat to preserve meat
 

"Nonnymus" > wrote in message
...
> Long ago, I recall an old time farmer once described a way they "used to"
> store meat in the summer. I'm going by sheer recollection from many years
> back and would appreciate any insight, anecdote or corrections you all
> could offer.
>
> According to my recollection, the farmers would render out fat to make
> lard or tallow. During the summer months, beef or pork that was killed
> for food was butchered and the meat submerged in the lard or tallow. This
> would prevent deterioration for weeks or months. When needed the wife
> would literally dig out a piece of meat to cook.
>
> Was this just a fabrication, misrecollection or was this an actual
> technique to preserve meat when it could not be frozen and salt curing was
> not desired?
>
> Nonny


Why don't you try it and report back to us?

BOB

Fat to preserve meat
 

Nonnymus wrote:

> Long ago, I recall an old time farmer once described a way they "used
> to" store meat in the summer. I'm going by sheer recollection from many
> years back and would appreciate any insight, anecdote or corrections you
> all could offer.
>
> According to my recollection, the farmers would render out fat to make
> lard or tallow. During the summer months, beef or pork that was killed
> for food was butchered and the meat submerged in the lard or tallow.
> This would prevent deterioration for weeks or months. When needed the
> wife would literally dig out a piece of meat to cook.
>
> Was this just a fabrication, misrecollection or was this an actual
> technique to preserve meat when it could not be frozen and salt curing
> was not desired?


It's an age-old method of preserving (and flavoring)
calling "confit".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confit

Usage of the word has become somewhat convoluted over time (I
recently saw "tuna confit" on a menu... it was basically tuna
slow cooked in olive oil), but the original essence of the word
referred to preserving meat in fat.

--
Reg

Fat to preserve meat
 

"Nonnymus" > wrote in message
...
> Long ago, I recall an old time farmer once described a way they "used to"
> store meat in the summer. I'm going by sheer recollection from many years
> back and would appreciate any insight, anecdote or corrections you all
> could offer.
>
> According to my recollection, the farmers would render out fat to make
> lard or tallow. During the summer months, beef or pork that was killed
> for food was butchered and the meat submerged in the lard or tallow. This
> would prevent deterioration for weeks or months. When needed the wife
> would literally dig out a piece of meat to cook.
>
> Was this just a fabrication, misrecollection or was this an actual
> technique to preserve meat when it could not be frozen and salt curing was
> not desired?
>
> Nonny
> --
> ---Nonnymus---
> You don’t stand any taller by
> trying to make others appear shorter.

Folks in these parts used to cook and then store pork chops and such in
lard.
--
James A. "Big Jim" Whitten

www.lazyq.com