Boiled lard in onion peels – traditional ukrainian recipe

Boiled pork fat (lard) is a traditional and beloved dish of Ukrainian cuisine. It can be salted, smoked, baked, or even boiled. The latter method is especially popular among those who don’t want to wait long to enjoy this delicious Ukrainian pork delicacy.

Contrary to popular belief, lard does not necessarily lead to weight gain or high levels of «bad» cholesterol. On the contrary, it can be quite beneficial for the body, as it’s rich in fat-soluble vitamins (particularly vitamins A, E, and K) and arachidonic acid, which is essential for many metabolic processes yet cannot be synthesized by the human body.

When you boil lard in onion peels together with mustard powder, it turns out especially fragrant and flavorful. Mustard flour is not only a spice—it also contains vitamins C and E. Vitamin C boosts immunity, while vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals. Additionally, mustard seed flour provides important minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, iron, and calcium, all of which help support the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and excretory systems.

CraftOil, a Ukrainian producer of organic cold-pressed vegetable oils, offers 100% natural mustard flour made from freshly ground mustard seeds. The company grinds the flour on its own stainless-steel mills certified for food production. Every batch is milled fresh on the day of your order and shipped anywhere in Ukraine or Europe.

Visit our CraftOil website to learn more about our products. We guarantee you’ll want to try our organic oils and artisan mustard flour!

Ingredients

To prepare delicious and healthy boiled lard in onion skins, you’ll need:

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) pork lard (belly or cheek);
• 6–7 large onions;
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder;
• 2 heads of garlic;
• 150 g (5 oz) salt;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 1 teaspoon black ground pepper;
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper;

Step-by-step cooking instructions

Wash the lard thoroughly under running water. If the skin is heavily singed or has bristles, scrape it with a knife and rinse again. Peel the onions, saving all the onion skins. Wash the garlic, separate the cloves, peel, and crush them through a garlic press.

Place half of the onion peels and the bay leaves at the bottom of a thick-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add salt, pepper, and mustard flour. Place the pork lard on top and cover it with the remaining onion skins. Pour in enough water to barely cover the ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely without opening the lid. Transfer the entire pot to the refrigerator for 24 hours.

After a day, remove the lard from the brine, rub it with minced garlic, cut into pieces, and serve.

Tips:

For those who love spices, sprinkle the ready lard with paprika or black pepper. You can also add black cumin seeds to the brine for extra aroma. Both cumin and mustard seeds can be ordered online from CraftOil, along with other varieties of organic seeds and oils.