I mentioned last week we have been using as many apples as my family can eat without getting sick of them. One of ways we used some apples was with making…smalac.
If you eat at a restaurant that serves typical Polish food you will more than likely served this when you sit down at a table for no charge, kind of like a free appetizer. In the old days this was called “the rich mans butter” as you spread smalec on bread like butter. It is one of those things like sauerkraut, either you love it or you hate it. 2 of my kids and I like it but my husband and the other 2 kids hate it. Every restaurant that I have eaten this at makes it a bit different. Sometimes it is REALLY good and other not so much.
Just a quick disclaimer if you have heart problems or high cholesterol this recipe is NOT for you. I think this is going to the unhealthiest recipe I will ever post on this blog. Why? Because the main ingredient is…lard or aka pork fat!
The other weekend we had some friends from the US come over for a visit, so I thought this would be a unique addition to a dinner we had at the house.
Now it’s time to cook…Apple & Bacon Smalec
Here is what you need…2 medium apples, 1 cup of diced onions, 1/2 pound of bacon and 2 1/2 cups of lard.
Dice the 2 apples into fine pieces.
Dice the bacon into small pieces.
Fry bacon into nice crispy pieces. The crisper the better!
Add lard and onion to the fried bacon in a frying pan.
Cook on high until it boils. Once boiling reduce heat to a soft boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
After 5 minutes add your spices. I added 1/2 tsp. of black pepper, 1 1/2 Tbsp. of seasoned salt and 2 Tbsp of marjoram. You can add more or less depending on your taste.
Lastly add your chopped apples to the lard mixture.
Mix all together and bring back to a boil. Once boiling…your done!
Pour into serving bowl and let cool. Once cool put into the refrigerator to set.
This is what it will look like once it is set.
Since the bacon, onion and apples set in the bottom, I mixed the smalec up to spread the flavors evenly.
Now it is time to eat! Just get your favorite piece of bread and spread a nice thick layer and that is it. Also many Polish eat this with a pickle on top which my favorite way to eat it too.
Like I said, this totally unhealthy but it is so good! My grandmother used to make the best chocolate chip cookies and instead of butter she used lard and they were AWESOME!
What is your favorite thing to spread on a sandwich?
Im not gonna go deep with scientific details, but lard is not that much unhealthy as most people belive it is. In fact it is often more healthy than highly processed foods, or food cooked with hihly processed Ingredients.
You sound exactly like my husband and my Coke Zero habit! Everything in moderation is healthy.
I recommend not to use bought smalec but to make it by yourself. You never know exactly what you buy, I think. And homemade smalec is a lot better in my opinion. Just buy good słonina (i suggest not smoked one) and fry(melt?) it on pan, then add onion to fry and other ingredients (fried bacon maybe?) and seasonings. It is also used as topping on dumplings, potatoes and so on and just as fat for frying.
Would love to try this! I have been to several polish restaurants and have never had this!
You really need too!
I have never heard of this before. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Like Sandra Oliver, author of SALTWATER FOODWAYS told me once, a little lard won’t kill you. My grand father would have loved this recipe, he ate eggs & bacon every morning and lived to the ripe old age of 89.
My favorite sandwich? That’s a hard one. Right now I have a craving for pulled pork on sour dough.
Oh pulled pork sounds amazing!!
Very interesting. Wonder if there’s a place here in Denver that would serve it.
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I’ve never heard of this, but it looks very interesting!
This is new to me and I would like to give it a try some time.