Different pastry types

[Stokey Sue Profile]

But when you make stock or broth with pork don’t you find that the fat on top has more the texture of dripping than lard?

[Suffs Profile]

It might have the texture of dripping ... I don’t recall, I rarely cook pork for a stock ... but rendered pork fat is lard not dripping; dripping comes from beef.



https://www.independent.co.uk/life-styl ... 42912.html

https://www.differencebetween.com/diffe ... %20content.

https://www.greenpasturefarms.co.uk/tal ... ifference/

[Stokey Sue Profile]

yes dripping is the term butchers apply to rendered beef fat, though in the kitchen we call any fat rendered when roasting meat “dripping” as well

But Zosh was asking about the fat rendered during wet cooking of pork, and I was simply suggesting that if it has the hardness of butcher’s dripping it might be best used in the same way rather than used like lard which is usually softer, I didn’t say it was dripping

[halfateabag Profile]

To clarify (not butter!) I was thinking of a hot water crust for savoury pie. The lady at the market yesterday where there was a lot of pastry displayed, suggested that there should not be a problem with my idea and as I said, if the pastry does not work - all I have lost is a bit of flour. Hot water crust recipes say boil water and lard together.... what is lard...... pork fat..... Mine has flavour ! Will give it a go next week and report back.....

pig
Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of the pig. It is distinguished from tallow, a similar product derived from fat of cattle or sheep. Lard can be rendered by steaming, boiling, or dry heat.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

If the fat from your pork is as I imagine, ie pure fat which has set quite hard in a fridge, I feel it is pure lard and would work fine. In fact I'd think a pork pie was originally designed round using such fat in the pastry before people nipped to the shops for a pack of lard. Surely you at least scrape the 'bits' off the bottom of any rendered and set fat if you are going to save it for cooking rather than having it on bread or toast, or sieve it if you want it pure? I don't think that a few stray bits in the pastry would matter!

[jeral Profile]

...[clip]...I didn’t say it was dripping

Erm, 'twas I, so sorry if you got caught up in that. We used to call it bread and dripping, which was definitely pork, which I know as a fact as we weren't wealthy enough to have a piece of beef that would render fat, unless minced beef counts

halfateabag, please let us know how your watercrust goes. It'd be good to know if it's a winner for your regular list.

It used to be a favourite as a kid, plus the jelly, although I'd always dispose of the clod of meat filling when my mum wasn't looking (There's a veggie version somewhere on my to-do list.)

[halfateabag Profile]

I am leaning towards this recipe, I think I have some cranberries in the DF and I have everything else. I might halve the recipe as there are only two of us.... Not sure if it would freeze well if I did the whole recipe? What do you think????



Doh !!!!https://www.womanandhome.com/recipes/hot-water-crust-pastry-hand-raised-pie/

Sorry, there's a lot going on ATM....

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Where's the recipe?

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Thanks zosh, I am putting the link here as well in case others didn't realise you had added it https://www.womanandhome.com/recipes/ho ... raised-pie

I think the pie looks nice, a raised pie is something I love and consider a huge treat. My only comment re this recipe is the seasoning. I cannot see any salt mentioned in the pastry and I feel it is very necessary. The pork pie recipe I use has 1.5 teaspoons to 500g flour. Ditto re the filling and jelly. There will be salt in the ham and the ham will be combined with the chicken for some of the layers, plus there'll be nutmeg. It might be worth frying a small amount of the mixture to taste it and make any adjustments at that stage. I would also make sure that my stock for the jelly was lightly seasoned.

I have, more than once, made pork pies which were slightly underseasoned, despite my doing taste tests and although still nice, I found it very disappointing having gone to all that trouble.

[Suffs Profile]

I always add anchovy essence and some minced green back bacon to a raised pork pie filling rather than seasoning it with salt.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Suffs, do you add salt to the pastry? Personally, I think it is a must.

[jeral Profile]

Earthmaiden, fret not as although true that no salt is shown in the ingredients for the pastry, in the method part 2tsp salt is added (750g flour). I agree 'snot fair as it could easily be missed. Looks good though.

Once made up, seemingly pork pies can be frozen if well wrapped with three layers, being parchment, foil, and airtight plastic freezer bag), per below link. It also says slices (for ease of use) can be frozen in the same way.
See also defrosting info:

https://www.freezeit.co.uk/can-you-freeze-pork-pies/

PS: I'd add the salt, if only because bread without salt is really not right to me at all.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

I wasn't really fretting but hate ruining a nice dish by omitting salt where it's needed! Well done for noticing it in the small print - naughty of them not to have listed it with the ingredients.

[Suffs Profile]

I always add salt to a savoury pastry, but only a small pinch, particularly if the filling is salty.

[ZeroCook Profile]

Was reading one of my cookbooks and came across across this. Hope it's ok to post.

It's a Chinese way of rendering lard at home and pretty similar to what halfateabag did except that the fat came from a stockmaking process rather than plain fat being boiled with water. The last part where you basically boil the fat to to remove any water content can be easily done with fat rendered from the stock meat and bones.

LARDZHU YOU 豬油Lard has a poor reputation in the West but, freshly made and used in modest quantities, it’s a delicious addition to all kinds of otherwise vegetarian dishes, to which it lends its rich umami flavors. In the Chinese countryside, many households still make their own lard, especially in winter as the Chinese New Year approaches. A small amount of lard will add a subtle luxuriousness to stir-fried mushrooms and other vegetables. It’s also often added to the stocks in which noodles or dumplings are served, for a bit of silkiness and extra richness. Cut pork back fat or belly fat into 1–1¾ in (3–4cm) chunks and put them into a saucepan with a generous covering of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over a medium heat to allow the water to evaporate. As the water disappears, the liquid will start to spit and crackle. When the noise has subsided, remove from the stove and strain the molten lard into a sterilized container. It will keep for months in the refrigerator. Lard can also be frozen: if you freeze it, I suggest dividing it up into small, useful quantities that are quick and easy to defrost, or letting it set into fairly thin layers from which you can snap off the amount you jneed.The same method can be used to render chicken fat

[Suffs Profile]

Good to read that Zerocook back in the day when we reared our own pork we would render the lard in that way in a very large saucepan on the Rayburn stove ... it gave us deliciously flavoured lard for pastry ... hot water crust, short and others, and we used it for all sorts of cooking, softening onions for casseroles ... oh and a little lard in a frying pan to sear thin slices of floured and seasoned fresh pig’s liver ... beyond delicious