Do yo know UNTO?

[crhutch]

I’m wondering if anyone knows how to make UNTO?
I’ve got a number of Galician recipes (to include Caldo Gallego) that call for unto. Unfortunately it’s not available in the USA. But since it’s cured pig fat I’m hoping someone may have made it and will share their process.

 

[simply B]

I’m wondering if anyone knows how to make UNTO?
I’ve got a number of Galician recipes (to include Caldo Gallego) that call for unto. Unfortunately it’s not available in the USA. But since it’s cured pig fat I’m hoping someone may have made it and will share their process.

Even with my considerable array of regional cookbooks, I have nothing to offer in the way of a process...BUT I do have (to my mind, from experience) a reasonably easy substitute. Here goes:

1) Save bacon grease in your refrigerator until you have about a pint or so.

2) Warm that pint of bacon grease and, after warming to "scoopable" temp, spoon it into a quart of water in a large sauce pan.

3) Bring the mix to a rolling boil for about a minute then reduce heat to simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. No stirring required.

4) Take off the heat and, once at room temperature, get it cold. (Refrigerator or overnight in a protected area outside when temperatures are below 45 deg F.

5) Once cold, it is easy to lift the fat layer off the water. Place that layer, watery side down on paper toweling for a moment to get the water off.

6) Place the fat into a clean jar and put in the refrigerator for use.

It is not a perfect substitution but, measure for measure in a recipe, it will get you close. You can always add a touch of salt or liquid smoke (need for the latter would be a great surprise!) if you wish.

It provides that 'je ne sais quoi' to Caldo and braising of vegetables. I even use it to brighten our Christmas Eve "Cullen Skink" .....though I have known some kitchen barbarians to use a bit of bacon.


B

 

[crhutch]

Thanks for the comments, you’ve given me some good ideas!

 

[amancio]

Even with my considerable array of regional cookbooks, I have nothing to offer in the way of a process...BUT I do have (to my mind, from experience) a reasonably easy substitute. Here goes:

1) Save bacon grease in your refrigerator until you have about a pint or so.

2) Warm that pint of bacon grease and, after warming to "scoopable" temp, spoon it into a quart of water in a large sauce pan.

3) Bring the mix to a rolling boil for about a minute then reduce heat to simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. No stirring required.

4) Take off the heat and, once at room temperature, get it cold. (Refrigerator or overnight in a protected area outside when temperatures are below 45 deg F.

5) Once cold, it is easy to lift the fat layer off the water. Place that layer, watery side down on paper toweling for a moment to get the water off.

6) Place the fat into a clean jar and put in the refrigerator for use.

It is not a perfect substitution but, measure for measure in a recipe, it will get you close. You can always add a touch of salt or liquid smoke (need for the latter would be a great surprise!) if you wish.

It provides that 'je ne sais quoi' to Caldo and braising of vegetables. I even use it to brighten our Christmas Eve "Cullen Skink" .....though I have known some kitchen barbarians to use a bit of bacon.


B

that is some impressive advice man, great!

 

[Deleted member 61803]

It is just "lard".
For how to make your own rather than buying it.

How To Make Lard

Find out what our ancestors have known for thousands of years and why you should use lard. Learn how to make lard, store it, and use it!

www.google.com

 

[Former member 91017]

I’m wondering if anyone knows how to make UNTO?
I’ve got a number of Galician recipes (to include Caldo Gallego) that call for unto. Unfortunately it’s not available in the USA. But since it’s cured pig fat I’m hoping someone may have made it and will share their process.

Because it is *cured* fat it is more like pancetta than it is like lard. If you cannot find it anywhere, see if your local Italian speciality market carries *lardo* -- same thing but regionally specific and with a protected heritage status in northern Italy. I have eaten a fair amount of it in thin slices as a feature of lunch with bread and olives...

You Won't Believe How Easy it is to Make Lardo

Lardo is cured pork back fat and so delicious. Learn how to make lardo with this easy recipe and impress all your italian friends.

www.baconismagic.ca

 

[Deleted member 61803]

Heres a recipe for Galician broth (Caldo Gallego) which shows how to make the Galician versión of Unto (lard) specifically for the delicious taste that it imparts,
Not sure where you live but the specific greens may not be available to you, turnip leaves, I find, are an acceptable option.
https://www.cookstr.com/recipes/caldo-gallego

 

[Felice]

Slightly off topic, but....
Grelos are turnip tops, but what do you call the leaves that come from the cabbage plants that grow to almost tree sized proportions (OK, slight exaggeration) in Asturias?

 

[henrythedog]

Slightly off topic, but....
Grelos are turnip tops, but what do you call the leaves that come from the cabbage plants that grow to almost tree sized proportions (OK, slight exaggeration) in Asturias?

Probably Couve Gallega - also known as the ‘walking stick cabbage’. It’s similar to Kale.

 

[henrythedog]

I haven’t seen it for a while but ‘farm cured bacon’ used to be common at markets in the north-west of England. It was 90%+ fat, and so very similar to lardo.

 

[Former member 91017]

Probably Couve Gallega - also known as the ‘walking stick cabbage’. It’s similar to Kale.

It's collards. We can buy them chopped from our local Portuguese speciality shop, or just in bunches of big leaves exactly the same as one sees growing in Galicia where I think they call them "brassica" of some sort (which for us in North America is the whole family of cabbage, collards, kale, rapini and broccoli, Brussel sprouts etc).

 

[Deleted member 61803]

Slightly off topic, but....
Grelos are turnip tops, but what do you call the leaves that come from the cabbage plants that grow to almost tree sized proportions (OK, slight exaggeration) in Asturias?

“Galega De Folhas Lisas”​

I bought some seeds in O Pedrouzo and tried to grow it in the UK. It is a smooth leafed kale. I saw barrow loads of it being pushed along by senior ladies in Galicia and wondered what it was. The shop told me it was used in soup but mainly for feeding the animals. It grows really well in England and is a tasty kale. The pigeons also love it unfortunately. I have grown it for 3 years but two plants are all a family needs as it is so large.

 

[Felice]

Many thanks for the clarification. Now I know what to call it.
We bought some seeds in Santiago a few years ago, from the market - an eggcup full, put into a twist of newspaper. We've been growing it each year since and had hoped to buy some fresh seed in Santiago in 2020. Fortunately, the seed is still germinating. Fingers crossed for this season too.
It makes a good winter green veg. The pigeons do indeed love it and netting it is indeed a problem!!! But we're getting a steady stream of fresh green tasty veg from our 6 plants (!!), for a few weeks now.
I discovered that a mixture of couve and leeks, cut quite fine and cooked together, with a knob of butter and some salt, makes a really delicious veg, much tastier than either veg on its own.
As for feeding it to animals..... what a waste! (though if the plants get more prolific, my excess might go on the compost heap)

 

[Pelegrin]

Couve Galega is called "Berza" in Galicia.
Caldo Galego can be "de berzas" or the "de grelos".
"Unto" is a fat from the pig belly that is used to give taste.
Where I live I can't find Unto, so I use espinazo (spine) and ham.

 

[LesR]

I’m wondering if anyone knows how to make UNTO?
I’ve got a number of Galician recipes (to include Caldo Gallego) that call for unto. Unfortunately it’s not available in the USA. But since it’s cured pig fat I’m hoping someone may have made it and will share their process.

from https://www.cookstr.com/recipes/caldo-gallego
UNTO: Unto is a cured pork belly product, sort of like the Spanish version of pancetta. We couldn’t seem to find it anywhere outside of Galicia. There it’s used as the base for caldo gallego and is why, I think, caldo gallego tastes better in Galicia than anywhere else you might be served it.

May also be known as Leaf Lard, made from visceral fat from the pig - https://practicalselfreliance.com/leaf-lard/