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Lard…Better then “shortening” and you can make it yourself!!!

Posted on by Mindie

Now days there is a movement to get back to the “old ways.” People are saying “don’t eat it if your grandmother wouldn’t recognize it as food.” Well guess what? Your grandmother would not only recognize lard, but she knew how to use it!!! So why is it, when I mention lard, many people go screaming from it like the plague? Well maybe because the corporate world has done an amazing job making us believe that “shortening” is better for us…. But is it?

You see back in 1911, the product Crisco came onto the market. It was cheaper to produce and did not require refrigeration (which was rare back then.) It was “poor man’s lard.” But you see, it is high in trans fat *gasp* No!?!? Yes!!!! And it was originally invented to be used in soap making. Yup, you read that right. So why should you give lard at least a second look?


The fat in lard is mostly monounsaturated, which is healthier than saturated fat. And yes, there is saturated fat in lard, but it has a neutral effect on cholesterol. No really, do some research. Animal fat also aids in absorbing nutrients. And with a higher smoking point, well your food absorbs less grease when you fry with it. Not to mention it is amazing for baking with!!!

Now sure you might be willing to give lard a second glance, maybe even try some out the next time you make a pie crust. And while you could buy it in the store, it has most likely been pasteurized, homogenized and lord knows what else. So why not make your own lard? Don’t be scared…. keep reading….. it’s not hard to do!!!

fat from pig

Now we were lucky enough that the butcher saved some fat from the hog we had butchered. And I know, your about to say “But I don’t have a hog!!!” If you go in on half a hog (which is what we did) with a local farmer, you can ask for the fat or just go to your local butcher and ask to buy some pork fat, I am sure he has some laying around that isn’t going to be used in making sausage that he trimmed off and probably was planning to toss.

 

Now take your fat (cut up into one inch cubes) and throw them in your crock pot. We set ours on high, well because our crock pot sucks! LOL We also added a half of a cup of water to the bottom of the crock pot so everything was heat evenly. We stirred it occasionally and in about six hours we had liquid and crispy bits. We strained the liquid through cheesecloth into canning jars, popped on the lids (so they would seal) and left them on the counter to cool. TA DA we made lard. No really, it was that simple!!!
I am so excited by all the jars of beautiful white lard I now have. I want to make pies for no reason what so ever now, just so I can make a crust with lard. LOL And it is nice to know that I am using a pure product that I made, that wasn‘t originally invented to be a soap ingredient, that has nothing added to it….. just like grandma used to use.

 

Rendering pork fat in a crock pot to make lard
Rendering pork fat in a crock pot to make lard

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78 thoughts on “Lard…Better then “shortening” and you can make it yourself!!!”

  2. I've heard that it keeps just about forever but I'm skeptical. How long is it good once you open it? Do you have to keep it in the fridge after you open your jar?

    1. We keep opened jars in the fridge. Not sure how long it will stay good canned….. we shall see, though I doubt it will be around long…. I love to bake.

  4. I remember my Grandma keeping a jar of this around. I had forgotten all about this. Thanks so much for sharing at this week's Project Inspire{d}.

  6. I never knew you could MAKE your own lard….You're a genius 🙂 Thanks so much for the tip….I really prefer to use lard in specific recipes!

  7. I've always wondered how to make this. I use it to season my cast iron skillets and in my pie crusts. Thanks!

  8. Just FYI, some years ago, Crisco was reformulated. You might check the can label, but I think it now says 0 grams transfat.

    But I'm more than willing to give lard a try!

    1. Yes, Crisco was reformulated…… however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows any product with less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving to list zero grams trans fat in its nutrition facts, but other products like Crisco continue to have higher amounts listed on their labels.

  9. Thank you so much for helping to make the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop so much fun Hugs!

  10. I like the idea of doing it in a crock pot. Seems easy enough!

    Found you through Catherine's blog hop.

  11. Thanks for sharing information like this on the blog hop. I do not think I would do this, but it is good to know it can be done in a healthy way. I am currently into Coconut Oil. Have a great weekend.

    1. Thanks for hosting. I knew it wouldn't be for everyone LOL Hope you have a good weekend too!

  12. Thanks for sharing at the Foodies & Crafties Blog Hop! I can't wait to see what you link up next week! #foodiescraftiessoiree I would love for you to hop over anytime to Apeekintomyparadise.com and link up with the parties I co-host throughout the week!
    Have a terrific weekend!
    Cathy
    APeekIntoMyParadise.com

  13. I've never thought about making my own lard. I'm one of those that would normally go running with my fingers in my ears at the mere mention of lard, but I love how you shared how much better it is for us than shortening. Thanks for sharing at Food on Friday!

  14. I never knew you could make your own lard, this is great information! Thanks for sharing and linking up again at this week's Friday Pin Fest! 🙂 I'm happy you were featured!!

  15. Good article. Just goes to prove that real natural foods from nature are what we should be eating anything artificially made is not healthy. The body was not made to process artificial foods.Thanks for sharing. Pinning.

  16. I had visions of stirring fat in a huge cauldron I had no idea it was that easy. Thanks for linking up to Real Food Fridays 🙂

  17. I honestly had no idea how lard was made!
    I avoid all "spreads" and "margarine" too – if I want something that tastes like butter, I use butter.
    Thanks for this post.

  18. Never thought of making my own before! I love it its crockpot approved! Thanks for sharing over at The Weekend Re-Treat hope to see you Thursday evening!

  19. I never knew you could do this yourself and that it was this easy! Thanks for linking up with "Try a New Recipe Tuesday." I hope you will be able to join us again this week. 🙂 http://our4kiddos.blogspot.com/2014/01/try-new-recipe-tuesday-january-14.html

  20. This wonderful post has been featured on "Tuesday with a Twist" blog hop! I totally agree – we have a friend who is a bio-chemist & he said that Crisco is only 1 chemical step away from being plastic!! I will never use it.
    Thanks so much!
    Angie
    godsgrowinggarden.com
    PS – Stop by if you get a chance & grab a "featured" button – Thanks.

  21. Man wish I had this recipe when we had the first pig butchered, not to fret another will be ready in June. Thanks for sharing, pinned to my DIY board, featuring on today;s Real Food Fridays.

  22. So you do not have to boil the canning jars or anything? I actually have pork fat in my freezer that I got when I bought a bulk pork order from a local farmer. Didn't know what to do with it. I now see homemade flour tortillas in the future.

    1. No we didn't voil the jars…. they were sterilized and hot when we put the hot liquid in and they sealed. Lard is great for torillas!

  23. Corporate America is really good at spinning the truth and confusing the public! Hopefully people will start waking up and thinking for themselves…soon. 😉 Thanks so much for sharing with us at Best of the Weekend. 🙂

  24. They keep finding more and more about how bad veg. shortening is for us. We have been using lard or butter (not marg.) more and mroe. Bear lard is also very good.
    Smiles

  25. I have some lard right now in my fridge that I use for my greens, smothered foods, and lots of my baking needs. It makes the best pie crusts ever. I just never Made it myself. My butcher sells it

    1. We don't have a butcher around here, so it is homemade or commercial. I prefer homemade. It's cool you have a butcher that makes it.

  26. Making lard is definitely on my list of "to-do's". The only reason I haven't yet is the lack of availability of rederable (is that a word?) fat. We're looking into raising pigs come spring, so I just might get my chance 😉

    Thanks so much for sharing! I HAVE rendered duck fat, which is amazing 🙂 Just not much for yield.

    Erin
    http://www.yellowbirchhobbyfarm.com

    1. Yes, a duck probably wouldn't make very much. I hope you get a chance to do this. It is easy, fun and you can mark it off your "Hey I did it myself list!"

  27. What great information! Honestly, I have never knowingly had lard. I probably have, who knows!? But it makes me interested into what kinds of stuff I can use lard for. More baking? I would love if you linked this up to Crafty Chaos Tuesdays at Her Organized Chaos. Have a great week and thanks for sharing!

  29. Can you just use "drippings" as lard. Like when you make spaghetti and drain the ground beef?

    1. Not really. Making lard purifies your product so you don't have all those little extra yuck things in it like with drippings. Drippings taste different too.

  30. My Mama use to make her own lard. This is a good post and my biscuits are always the best when I use lard. Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend!

  33. So interesting and such a great idea!! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!

  34. I have lard, suet and schmaltz in my freezer (I freeze the rendered fat in an ice cube tray for easy storage and use). I also have bags of fat I trim off the meat before cooking. I save them up so I can make a bigger batch when I cook it down.

    found this on Wonderful Wednesdays

  35. We attend a butchering each year and are blessed to receive a large amount of lard from the big old lard pot. I use it in pie crusts and biscuits. I won't even make pie crust without it. It's so nice to my cast iron!

  37. I have some pork fat in the freezer to render – you're reminding me to do this soon! Thanks so much for linking up to Awesome Life Friday – I hope you'll come back again this week!

  38. Thank you so much for attending week 16 of #PureBlogLove and linking your fantastic blog post, I can't wait to see what you have in store for our next party, Thursday 8 PM EST- Sundays at midnight. Your post has been added to the #PureBlogLove Pinterest board for all to see 🙂 Have a great day!
    Nicole

  39. I'm thinking I want to make some lard pie crusts now! It's also a great way to use parts of a pig you wouldn't normally. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sharing this on Five Friday Finds! I'm looking forward to what you share this week. 🙂

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