Rachelle Allen

Thanks again, very helpful.

Yes, they will be thoroughly cooked. thank you.

You can put lard up in canning jars and it keeps well if stored in a cool dark place. I just opened a jar a few weeks ago that I canned about 5 or 6 years ago and it is still good. I like to use it in refried beans and for the dough for tamales. if you have nice thick slabs of back fat from hogs you can dry cure it with herbs and make an Italian favorite called Lardo. you slice it very thinly and put it on bread. Amazing.

I am about 2.25 hours from you in VA. I butcher my own pigs and have a meat locker and band saw. I do not know of a butcher in your area.  if there is a local farm animal auction you might ask around there on auction day.

I have had several small hams and hocks in a brine bath for a couple of weeks. standard salt and pink salt with spices. It may have had more blood in the meat than I thought. The solution has become very thick. It smells OK but is this is problem?