Salchichón: Belarusian cuisine recipe

Prepare the necessary ingredients for Belarusian sultson. I prefer to buy meat from a trusted seller at the market, although you can also buy it at the supermarket. When choosing pig's head and shoulder at the market, make sure to smell them. The meat should have a pleasant aroma. The skin should be light and free of spots. When you press your finger into the meat, the dent should quickly disappear. This indicates that the meat is fresh. Adjust the amount of garlic to your taste. In addition to pepper and salt, you can add additional spices to your liking.

Cut the pig's head and shoulder into smaller pieces. For making sultson, I used half of a pig's head (which is 5 kg). Now wash each piece thoroughly, scrape off the dirt from the skin, and hold it over the flame of a burner to remove the bristles. Also, remove the eyes and teeth. Cut off the ear and clean it well inside and out. Rinse all the meat, including the tongue, thoroughly. It is very convenient to clean the head and shoulder with a metal kitchen sponge or knife.

Transfer the prepared meat pieces into a deep saucepan. Fill with cold water. Leave for at least 3-4 hours. I change the dirty water to fresh water every hour.

Rinse the meat well. Place it in a saucepan for cooking.

Wash the onions thoroughly, along with the peel. Trim the root part. Peel and wash the carrots. Add the vegetables to the meat. Optionally, you can use celery root, parsley, parsnip. Pour in cold water, enough to cover the meat with a layer of water by 10 cm. I needed 7 liters of water. Add bay leaf, black and fragrant peppercorns. Add a tablespoon of salt (15-20 g). Put on medium heat and bring to a boil. Many people drain the first broth. I didn't do that. You can do it the way you prefer. If you need to drain the first broth, don't add the spices right away. Then the sequence is as follows: bring to a boil, drain the water, rinse the meat well and return it to the rinsed pot. Pour fresh cold water, add spices and continue cooking. Simmer for 3-4 hours over low heat, skimming off any foam with a skimmer. In the end, the meat should easily separate from the bone.

Transfer the boiled pork to a colander and let it cool to a warm state.

To cool the meat quickly, I lay the pork on a tray in a single layer.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve, as there may be many small bones in it. We will need about 100-150 ml of broth. I cooled the remaining strained broth, poured it into plastic bottles, and put it in the freezer. It can be used for making soups, sauces, and gravies.

Peel the cooled tongues, the skin comes off easily after cooking. Cut into small pieces.

Disassemble the pig's head and pork knuckle. Separate the meat and fat from the bones. Cut everything, including the skin, into small pieces. Don't forget to slice the ear. The weight of the meat without the tongues turned out to be 3.3 kg. Put the sliced tongue, head meat, and pork knuckle into a large container.

Add minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper to the meat, according to taste. Pour in the broth. Mix very well. Taste and adjust if necessary.

For shaping the Belarusian salceson, it is very convenient to use juice bags or plastic bottles. Cut off the top. Fill the bags with the meat mixture, packing it tightly with a spoon to avoid air pockets. Cover the top with another bag or plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set. I put it in the refrigerator overnight.

The meat has set well by morning. We can consider the salceson ready.

Slice into portions and serve with sauces of your choice: mustard, horseradish, ketchup, adzhika, or others. Salceson pairs perfectly with fresh or pickled vegetables and fragrant herbs.

Since I've made quite a lot of salo, I freeze most of it. To freeze, you need to take a container with a lid. Move the sliced pieces of salo, layering them with parchment paper, for easy removal from the freezer. And put it away for storage. Thaw on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

The salo according to the recipe of the Belarusian cuisine is ready. Enjoy your meal!