Anyone here use lard?

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LizStreithorst

Senior Cook
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Moselle MS
I don't bake but I'd like to try in in place of other oils in some recipes. If you use it where do you buy it? My supermarket doesn't carry it, period. Besides I've read that the stuff available in most supermarkets is partially hydrogenated.

I found some on line, It's $25. for a lb. Geeze Louise...$25. for a lb or lard. Go figure? I'll pay it but I won't be happy about it. If I like the results I get there's a up the road that slaughters only hogs. I bet they will sell me the fat to render my own.
 
Render your lard outside, it is a bit smelly to do in the house, and if you do, it lingers. I'm in WI and we can buy unrendered fat for less than $1.50/lb. In the past few years the price of rendered lard has been anywhere from $0.90 to $2.50 per pound. Most people don't ask for the unrendered fat when they buy a butchered pig, so find a butcher or someone that processes whole cows and pigs and ask them.
 
Huh? $25!

Liz, is there a Mexican store in your area? Lots of pure rendered lard in ours, and it's sure not $25.
 
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I bought pork fat from a local whole-animal butcher for about $2/lb. and rendered it myself. To me, it smelled like bacon, so I was not unhappy with that ;)

I haven’t used it in baking yet - just for savory foods. And, of course, since it's a new thing in my kitchen, I often forget that I have it :ermm: :LOL:

My mom told me she made chocolate chip cookies with chicken fat once and they were the best she ever made.
 
I had not been able to find it anywhere by us in MA. The Food Police probably won't allow it to be sold. :LOL: However, Amish communities have no problem with it, so I get a tub or two whenever we visit our kids in OH. I think the last price I paid for pure rendered lard was $1.89 a pound. If I lived back home we could have worked out a deal for me to ship it to you. Sorry.

I've used it for pie crusts. Makes an old-fashioned, flaky crust. The flavor is a bit different, though, so I mix it about half and half with butter. My SIL and her hubby don't like the taste of lard in the crust at all. That's OK by us, since we get an entire pie to ourselves. Hmm, that might not be a good thing...

...And, of course, since it's a new thing in my kitchen, I often forget that I have it...
I've bought it the last two trips in to OH and still can't remember to use it for savory stuff.
 
I also use half lard and half butter for biscuits and pie crust. It makes the finished product is flaky and tender. I also replace 1 TBSP flour with 1 TBSP wheat germ per cup of flour. Which gives you a nice mild "nutty" flavor.

I can only get the shelf stable lard at the markets around here. I will have to try and find a butcher or Mexican market around here and get leaf lard.

Just found this on Amazon

Leaf Lard - Non-Hydrogenated - Pastured, Pork Leaf Lard - Cooking & Baking Oil -16 oz
 
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It is available in 5 pound tubs in the regular groceries here. Don't remember how much it was but it's not expensive. I've used it in savory and pie crusts. Makes really flaky pastry.
 
I've only used it for pie crust, but I love it! The healthiest lard has not been treated with growth hormones or regularly dosed antibiotics. Animals (and humans) store toxins in fat, so there is a higher concentration in lard.

Go to a butcher, ideally one with an abattoir. They will know the meat. I buy shares in pork and beef so get lard and tallow that way. Many people still think lard (and other fats) are unhealthy in general so they don't cook with them. There is a good chance a butcher could acquire some for you.

It keeps for a very long time in the fridge (perhaps indefinitely).


Eat anything you want, but make it yourself.

Posting from the app.
 
I use it all the time. There is a fantastic old school butcher shop and deli close to where I work that sells leaf lard for $7/lb. Best stuff in the world for frying. Well, second best really. Duck fat (which they also sell at this place) is numero uno in my book, but is more spendy at 10.00/lb.

As you point out, the Armour lard they sell in grocery stores is hydrogenated and best avoided. If you can find a local source or render it yourself, you'll have a much better product.
 
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What sorts of things does duck fat really shine with? I've never tried it but sounds good.


Eat anything you want, but make it yourself.

Posting from the app.
 
We have it in Winco. I can't remember the name and I have no idea if it's real lard of just a partially hydrogenated kind of thing. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. It's about $1 more expensive than Crisco, so this time I didn't. I do know it smells when it's cooking and I really don't like the smell.

Now I've heard when you go into a butcher's and ask for lard, you're supposed to ask for leaf lard. That's supposed to be the best lard you can get.
 
What sorts of things does duck fat really shine with? I've never tried it but sounds good.
Although I no longer eat them, roasted potatoes are one application where duck fat really shines. I would melt a couple of tablespoons of duck fat and toss the potatoes in it before roasting in the oven.

I also love it for frying eggs, sauteing vegetables, and pan searing meat - especially poultry. It browns food evenly and adds a nice crispness to whatever you fry in it.

It's wonderful stuff. Liquid gold. :yum:
 
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Since I buy my lard already processed, I don't need to render any fat. However, I did run across this little gem while reading up on lard. Who knows, maybe I even found it here because another poster stuck it up in one of our threads. :ermm: Either way, it's interesting - and appropriate to this thread.

I Rendered Lard in My Slow Cooker...
 
Manteca is either a brand name or Spanish word for lard. Our local Publix carries it.
 
Manteca is either a brand name or Spanish word for lard. Our local Publix carries it.

We have it here to. Its in every grocery store, on the bottom shelf where the oils are stocked. I don't remember the price so I will assume it was was rather inexpensive. Had it been expensive, I would have remembered.

Is it the good leaf lard?

Whats leaf lard?
 
Generally to make lard shelf stable it is hydrogenated, hence it has trans fats.

Leaf lard comes from around the kidneys, the rest of the lard comes from all over the pig. Some companies market leaf lard and it is not hydrogenated. You can buy some on Amazon, leaf lard, non hydrogenated.

In our grocery store we can buy it on the shelf and it is hydrogenated, or in the freezer section, non hydrogenated in 1 lb boxes (like butter). Even if I was buying in the freezer section I'd read the label to be sure.
 
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