How to Render and Cook with Lard
When you think of healthy or so-called “super foods”, lard probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
Once a staple of cooking across many cultures, lard fell out of favor largely thanks to industrialists Proctor & Gamble’s smear campaign of the early 1900’s to market Crisco as a cheaper and “healthier” fat alternative. In reality, their heavily processed product made of hydrogenated cottonseed oil contained high amounts of pesticides and inflammation causing Omega-6 fatty acids, and rates of disease associated with these factors have been on the rise ever since.
Surprisingly, this long misrepresented fat offers some tremendous nutritional benefits. Its packed with fat soluble vitamins like B-12, as well as minerals and heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Most of the fat is of the healthier monounsaturated variety, making it a much better choice than beef tallow or even butter. Where it really shines is in it’s Vitamin D content. Not only is it the second richest dietary source next to cod liver oil, but is in the highly digestible metabolite form, so it can be 5 times more potent at raising serum concentration levels when eaten.
Lard is simple to render from pork fat and stores easily for a long time. Either the leaf lard (internal fat) or the subcutaneous fat (under the skin) of fatback can be used. It is crucial that the fat is sourced only from outdoor pastured or forest-raised pigs. They get the necessary sunlight to synthesize more Vitamin D, plus they are allowed to eat grass and other vegetation which increases the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids present. They are also far less likely to have antibiotic or pesticide residues in their tissue.
To render your own lard at home, follow these simple steps:
Cut your pork fat into small pieces and remove any large bits of skin or meat. Grinding the fat into small bits works even better if you have a sausage grinder handy.
Transfer fat to a stockpot (or crock pot) and add just enough water (about 1/4 cup) to cover the bottom of the pot and prevent scorching.
Turn the heat on low and stir occasionally for at least one hour. Its important to check on it often to make sure the fat doesn’t burn. Depending on how much fat you are using and the size of the pieces it could take several hours to fully render.
As it starts to melt, small solid particles will separate out and eventually sink to the bottom of the pot. Once this happens its time to strain the lard. Ladle it through a cheese cloth lined colander into a bowl to partially cool.
After a few minutes use the ladle to transfer the strained liquid into clean glass Mason jars. Put the lids on and leave them on the counter to cool, then should be stored in the fridge for later use.
My favorite ways to incorporate lard into my cooking is simply to use it as my go-to cooking oil. A spoonful in a frying pan will melt just like a pat of butter, and from there serves as a great medium for sauteing some veggies or pan frying some chicken breast. Similarly it can be used to coat a roasting pan before it goes in the oven, or to baste over a smoked turkey for delicious, crispy skin. Another popular use for lard is in baked goods, especially things like biscuits and savory pie crusts. It can add a satisfying density and moistness that can’t be achieve with vegetable oils. The flavor can really enhance just about anything that’s cooked in it.
I hope you’ll reconsider any preconceived notions you may have had, and give good old lard another shot in the kitchen. I’d love to hear about any clever ways you’ve found to add it to your diet!