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Verhackerts
Verhackerts: Styrian smoked bacon and garlic spread for dark bread
In Styria, in the wine taverns (Buschenschanken) of the south and on farmhouse breakfast tables, verhackerts is spread thickly on dark rye bread with the morning coffee or at the mid-morning Jause: smoked pork bacon and back fat chopped so finely it becomes a paste, seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper. Traditionally it is made from raw cured, cold-smoked Styrian Speck and eaten without cooking; that raw version is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. This safer home version cooks the minced bacon gently until the meat is cooked through (71 °C) before it is chilled into a spread. Serve on rye bread, or gluten-free bread if needed. The common mistake is browning the bacon; it should only render and turn opaque, or the spread goes crumbly instead of smooth. Chef's tip: mince it while the bacon is fridge-cold, almost frozen, so the fat stays in clean little pieces rather than smearing.
- Total time
- 22 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 14 oz smoked streaky pork bacon or Speckrind removed, well chilled
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- ¼ tsp salttaste first, bacon is salty
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- ¼ tsp dried marjoram (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut 14 oz smoked streaky pork bacon or Speck into small pieces and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes, until very firm.
Step 2: Mince it in a meat grinder with a fine plate, or pulse in a food processor in short bursts, until it is a fine, pinkish paste.
Step 3: Put the paste in a cold frying pan and set it over a low heat. Cook gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring and breaking it up, until the fat has melted and the meat is opaque all through and reaches 160°F on a thermometer. Don't let it brown.
12 minStep 4: Take off the heat and stir in 3 cloves garlic, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp dried marjoram and, after tasting, ¼ tsp salt.
Step 5: Spoon into a jar or bowl and leave to cool, stirring now and then so the fat and meat stay mixed. Chill for at least 2 hours until spreadable.
Step 6: Spread on dark rye bread and eat with pickled gherkins or radishes. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does verhackerts take?
- About 22 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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