A step by step tutorial on how to render fat into lard and the benefits of using it! Learn about the myths surrounding lard and animal fats, the history behind the industry, and how to make lard, store it, and use it!
Use this lard to make the BEST EVER Buttermilk Biscuits and the ultimate Lard Pie Crust!
Why We Stopped Using Lard (For All the Wrong Reasons)
Chances are the vast majority of people reading the title and looking at this bottle of lard will have a negative reaction. What will follow is the pronouncement of a string of health conditions that through decades of medical myths have come to be associated with eating lard. In the meantime our ancestors are shaking their heads, “our average lifespan was as long as yours and we didn’t have nearly the number of health conditions as you do today.”
So what happened? What caused us to so vehemently reject one of our ancestors’ most basic food staples?
I won’t attempt to give you all the reasons but I’ll provide a really good starting point. Where: The USA. When: Early 1900’s. Who: Proctor & Gamble.
They had a booming business producing cotton. Which, by the way, is not considered a food crop by the FDA. (That’s important. Keep reading.) But there was this unwanted portion of the cotton plant – cottonseed – that they couldn’t do anything with. And they had lots and lots of it. So they put their heads together to come up with something they could do with cottonseed in order to profit from it. Drumroll…They discovered a method of intense processing that enabled them to extract oil from the cottonseed – and at virtually zero expense to them! But they found the oil was unstable at room temperature and turned easily rancid. Enter Hydrogenation. They figured out that hydrogenating the stuff made it stable and last a long time. And here comes the “What”: The end result was an oil that looked like lard. They called it Crisco.
An issue of Popular Science summed it up this way: “What was garbage in 1860 was fertilizer in 1870, cattle feed in 1880, and table food and many things else in 1890.” And it changed the way we thought about food and the way we ate for generations. The legacy of the anti-lard and butter mindset it established still continues today.
Did you know that more marketing dollars were spent on making Crisco a success than any other marketing endeavor up to that point in history? What ensued from that point on can only be summed up as one of the greatest, most widespread and most misfortunate health scandals of all time with health consequences were are still reaping.
On the one hand, while Crisco was being marketed as cheaper and “healthier” than lard or butter, simultaneously marketing dollars were spent labelling butter and lard as intrinsically “bad.” They even gave away free cookbooks with every purchase of Crisco. And of course you can guess which ingredient replaced everything that normally would have called for butter or lard.
With so much marketing wealth and power behind the effort, it took only a few years to turn an entire nation away from the source of fat that had been used for centuries by their ancestors. And it was successfully labeled as hazardous to our health. Oh, the sad irony.
Decades later, when illnesses began mounting to the point where the statistics could no longer be ignored, the statement was finally released that hydrogenated oils are bad for you. But the fat phobia continued as did the manufacturing of substitute oils.
One such oil: Canola. Guess where canola oil comes from? (Hint: No, it’s not the canola plant. There’s no such thing per se. The “canola” plant was developed in the 1970’s and is nothing more than a modified, cross-bred version of the rapeseed plant.) The name is the shortened version of “Canada oil low acid” and comes from rapeseed. Another non-food crop. Here’s a little history on rapeseed oil: During WWII, rapeseed oil was used on naval ships as a lubricant. When the war ended, there was so much farmland in Canada already dedicated to growing rapeseed that they wanted to find other uses for it so they could continue pulling a profit. The problem with rapeseed oil: It’s such a terribly foul-tasting and rancid-smelling oil that it isn’t fit for human consumption. And so they spent the next few decades until the 1970’s working out a way to make it edible. That process requires heavy refining, bleaching and deodorizing using harsh chemicals (as far from “natural” as it gets) to finally yield the neutral-tasting, odorless oil that now sits on grocery store shelves bearing the American Heart Association’s seal of approval.
Fast forward to today: Almost all processed and pre-packaged foods – everything from chips and breakfast cereal to canned soups and salad dressings – are made with either canola, cottonseed, soybean/vegetable or corn oil. Why? Because they’re cheap to produce. And because we’re still in this mindset that they’re somehow better for you than lard or butter. (For more info on why soybean/vegetable and corn oil (and several others) are so bad for you, see this article for an explanation).
Well, we’ve come full circle. Medical research over the past several years has continued to confirm that fat is not the devil it’s been made out to be and that it is not the root cause of cardiovascular disease. Medical literature is finally starting to reflect this as are many health professionals in their medical advice. However, the notion that fat is bad has been so deeply engrained in our culture and medical philosophy for so long that it’s going to take some time before we’ve all caught up to the facts. Even many health professionals are still stuck in that archaic mindset, though we’re slowly starting to see the rhetoric change.
Our ancestors had it right after all.
My philosophy and approach to diet is a simple one and echoes centuries of wisdom: 1) Eat real, whole foods as close to their natural state as possible and 2) eat things in moderation.
So that brings us back to lard. It’s a fully natural, whole food. It can be made in your own kitchen without any special equipment and the process couldn’t be simpler: Melt it. Strain it. Use it. And I’ll show you all the steps you need to make your own lard.
Benefits of Lard
Lard has several advantages over other oils/fats, one of them being that it, along with beef tallow, has one of the highest smoke points. That means it doesn’t oxidize when you heat it (oxidization = cancer). So lard is ideal for high heat cooking (i.e., anything above a light sauté).
Lard also has a high melting point making it the best choice for extra flaky pie crusts and pastries (beef tallow even more so – we’ll be addressing tallow next time.) Get ready to really experience the old-fashioned taste of yesteryear and what made grandma’s baking so famous.
Lastly, it tastes awesome! Get ready to make the best fried chicken, crispy hash browns and just about anything you want to taste just that much better.
Finally, it has health benefits. That’s right, lard is a good thing. To read about its health benefits along with several other reasons to use lard, check out this article: Top 10 Reasons To Bring Lard Back.
Types of Fat from a Pig
Belly Fat: This is what’s used in the U.S. to make bacon (in the UK it’s known as streaky bacon). As its name suggests, it comes from the belly of the pig and has layers of fat and meat. Pork belly has become popular in recent years in a variety of cuisine. You typically wouldn’t render the belly into lard because there is too much meat attached.
Fatback: This comes from the back of the pig, includes the shoulder and rump areas, and is the thick layer of fat directly underneath the skin. Once rendered it produces a lard that’s slightly yellow in color and it has a stronger pork odor and flavor than leaf fat (see below). It’s great for frying or sauteing. Fatback is also what’s used in sausage-making.
Leaf Fat: This is the fat from around the pig’s kidney’s and, like beef leaf fat, is the “cleanest” fat on the pig. It’s also the healthiest. Once rendered it produces a lard that’s white in color with a milder odor and flavor, making it ideal for use in pie crusts and pastries.
**NOTE: The health benefits of lard apply only to pasture-raised pork. Fat is where a lot of the bad stuff is stored and concentrated (ie, chemicals, additives, by-products of junk ingredients, etc) and for that reason we strongly recommend only using fat from pasture-raised pigs. Avoid fat from commercially raised pigs.
How to Store Lard
Lard was used and stored for centuries before refrigeration was invented. It will keep at room temperature for a long time (traditionally many kept it for up to a year). Nevertheless, today most recommend storing it in the fridge. It’s your call. In the fridge it will keep for at least 6 months and up to a year also and many say it’s less likely to get rancid in the fridge. I’ve heard of many people keeping it for even longer than a year in the fridge. Lard can be kept almost indefinitely and what determines if it’s still good is its smell: If it starts smelling rancid, throw it out and make another batch.
For longer storage lard can also be frozen. Freeze it in bars, in cubes, in tablespoon amounts, in tubs (slicing off what you need, no need to thaw), whatever you prefer. Lard can also be frozen in glass jars once the fat has solidified at room temperature.
It is best to only freeze it once though, not thaw and re-freeze.
Shelf Stability
Homemade rendered lard is very shelf stable. The process of rendering it removes excess water and other impurities, thus preserving the fat and keeping it from spoiling.
Is Lard Pasteurized?
Because lard is a pure fat and does not contain enough water to support bacterial growth (i.e., causing spoilage) lard doesn’t need to be pasteurized.
A word of Caution
If you choose to buy lard rather than render it yourself, be very careful about the lard you find in stores. Many of them are hydrogenated and many also contain large amounts of highly toxic benzene derivatives known as BHA and BHT. Avoid these. Plus, making it yourself is MUCH cheaper than buying it. Most “clean” commercial lard on the market charge more than $20 per pound. I’m able to make more than six times that amount for the same price!
If you have a local butcher you trust that makes lard from pasture-raised pigs, perfect. Otherwise I strongly recommend making it yourself, choosing fat pastured pigs that were raised responsibly. As noted earlier, fat is where a lot of the bad stuff is stored and concentrated (ie, chemicals, additives, by-products of junk ingredients, etc) and so it’s important to choose “clean” fat from pigs that were pasture-raised and avoid fat from commercially-raised pigs.
Three Ways to Render Fat
You can render lard in a heavy pot in the oven between 225-250 degrees F, on the stove top over low heat (start at “2” and once it begins melting turn it down to “1”) or in a slow cooker on LOW. Whichever method you choose, just remember that if you’re wanting a neutral flavor for using in pastries and pie crusts, cook it over very low heat, otherwise your lard will have a much stronger, “piggy” flavor (which is still fine for things like frying and sauteing where you want to add a little flavor boost).
Troubleshooting
Help, my lard has grown mold! Pure fat doesn’t grow mold, it goes rancid. So if there’s mold on it it’s because it wasn’t rendered long enough and/or it wasn’t strained properly. If there are any bits of meat or sediment left in the lard after rendering it, those will grow mold.
I’ve also heard some people recommend that if you’re going to store the lard in the fridge instead of at room temperature or freezing it, to cover it with cheesecloth or a tea towel and rubber band since a screwed on lid can trap moisture inside the jar.
How to Make Lard
Let’s get started!
I’m using leaf fat for this. Referring to the section above about different kinds of fat.
I highly recommend freezing the fat first because it makes the job of chopping the fat MUCH easier and cleaner!
Dice the fat as small as you can. The smaller you chop the pieces the quicker it will render and the more lard you will get out of it. (Note: I recommend chopping it smaller than the batch pictured below. That was my third batch that week and I was getting impatient.) **Also, if you have a friendly butcher who is willing to grind the lard for you, ask them. Alternatively you can freeze it and finely chop it in your food processor.
Place the fat in a slow cooker and set it to LOW.
If you’re melting it over the stovetop, place it in a heavy pot and set it to “2”. Once it begins melting set it to “1”. (Again, the key is cooking it over low heat to produce a beautifully clean and white lard with a neutral flavor.)
You can also render lard in the oven: Place it in a heavy pot (Dutch oven is perfect) and set the oven between 225-250 degrees F.
I leave the lid off to prevent water/moisture from building up, which can lead to spoiling. By leaving the lid off, any developing water/moisture will evaporate.
It will take several hours. The cracklings will soon sink down and then rise up again. Once they’ve risen again the lard is done. Another indicator that it’s done is that it will audibly crackle, gasp, and sigh!
If you over-cook it or allow it to burn on the edges, the lard will begin to brown and you’ll end up with a lard that has a stronger porky flavor. It’s still completely usable for things like frying and sauteing, it’s just not ideal for making sweet pastries and pie crusts.
What to do with those sad, limp bits of pork fat? Turn them into crispy cracklings! Transfer them to a frying pan and fry until they’re puffy and crispy. If you want, add some seasonings. Eat them as a snack or sprinkle them over your salads.
Strain it through a fine mesh colander to remove the cracklings. Then strain it again through 3 layers of cheesecloth to remove the remaining small bits and sediment.
It’s critical that you remove any bits of fat and gristle along with any tiny bits of sediment, otherwise your lard will get moldy. Pure fat doesn’t grow mold, it goes rancid. So if there’s mold on it it’s because it wasn’t rendered long enough to remove all the water and/or it wasn’t strained properly. So be sure to properly strain it.
In its liquid state, the color of the lard will be like lemonade or apple juice. Once it cools and hardens it will become white.
Place the melted lard in whatever container you want to keep it in long-term (preferably glass or, if that’s not available a non-reactive metal). Let it sit undisturbed at room temperature until it has to cooled down and is firm (it firms up pretty quickly).
For information on how to store lard, see the “How to Store Lard” section above.
Enjoy!
Be sure to also check out our tutorials on:
How To Make Lard
Ingredients
- 2 pounds leaf lard or fatback (depending on what you're using it forl; see blog post for description), diced as finely as you can (it's easiest to dice while frozen)
- NOTE: You can use this same method for beef tallow and other animal fats
Instructions
- This can be made in the slow cooker, in the oven, or on the stovetop. For the oven and stovetop method see the blog post tutorial above. Slow Cooker Method: Place the diced fat in the slow cooker and set it to LOW. Leave the lid off while to prevent moisture buildup which can lead to spoiling. It will generally take at least 3 hours, often more, for the fat to render, especially if you're making a larger batch or if the chunks are large. The pieces of fat will sink down to the bottom and then rise up again after a few hours, indicating that the they are done rendering. Be careful not to over-cook the lard or allow the edges to burn or you'll end up with lard that has a stronger pork flavor (though still usable for frying savory things, just not ideal for sweet pastries and pie crusts). Strain the rendered lard through a fine mesh colander and discard the chunks (these can be fried to create crispy flavorful pork cracklings). Strain the lard a second time, this time time through 3 layers of cheesecloth to remove any small bits and sediment which cause spoilage. In its liquid state, the color of the lard will be like lemonade or apple juice. Once it cools and hardens it will become white.Place the melted lard in whatever container you want to keep it in long-term (preferably in a glass jar). Let it sit undisturbed at room temperature until it has to cooled down and is firm.Store your lard in a cool, dark place. It will keep longer in the fridge if you have the space and you can also freeze it. 2 pounds of pork fat will yield roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups of lard.
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet May 15, 2017
Maggie Nutter says
Over year many of our common plants are bred to produce better food quality crops. What was grown during WWII whether it be corn or what you refer to as rapeseed, has changed. That is why there are plants called Heritage tomatoes or corn or squash. The old or heritage may or may not have better flavor many did not, but are bred up for better disease resistance, growth, flavor, color and so on. What you call Rapeseed oil is actually Canola oil and Canola is grown all over Montana. There are many crops being bred for shorter growing seasons and better product on a continual basis. Using information about a plant used in During WWII may not be accurate.
I do totally agree that lard is better flavored and probably more healthy due to minimal processing.
“The name ‘Canola’ was registered as a
trademark in Canada in 1970. The name
comes from Can as in Canada and ola as in
oil! The plant was bred by Canadian
scientists, Dr. Baldur Stefansson and Dr.
Keith Downey, who selected rapeseed
populations when looking for a crop that
would produce a healthy, edible oil product.
Prior to canola oil, most of the oil Canadians
used for food purposes was imported and
people wanted a home-grown edible oil.
Canola was selected from rapeseed through
the knowledge and ingenuity of these prairie
plant scientists. Canola is NOT rapeseed. It
may look the same but it’s nutritional makeup
is totally different. Canola came about
only after years of hard work, research and
countless field tests of new plant varieties.
Canola oil has a complement of fatty acids
that make it one of the healthiest oils.
Canola oil is also a source of Vitamins E and
K. Canola meal is a nutritious livestock feed.
Today, Canadians consume more canola oil
per person than any other country in the
world. In Canada, canola oil has captured
about 80 percent of the salad oil market, 60
percent of the shortening market and 45
percent of the margarine market. Other
large markets for Canadian canola include
Japan, the United States, Mexico and China.”
www. canolagrowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Canola_Glossy2010_1. pdf
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Maggie, information provided by the canola growers themselves is not the best source of unbiased information. When you take out their classic propagandizing you’re still left with the simple fact that yes, canola oil IS derived from rapeseed. The “canola” plant was developed in the 1970’s and is nothing more than a modified, cross-bred version of the rapeseed plant.
But everything else aside, the bottom line is this: Canola oil is not a healthy choice because of its fatty acid structure. Canola oil contains a high amount of omega 6’s which promotes inflammation, one of the primary causes of heart disease. The canola growers may not state that, but many health experts do.
Anonymous says
There is such a thing as a canola plant, actually…..
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes, and it’s also known as the rapeseed plant. Specifically, a cultivar of the rapeseed Brassicaceae family of plants.
Kate says
Wonderful article! Thank you for sharing these instructions. I do have a question: How long will the chunks of back fat and leaf fat last in the refrigerator? My niece pasture-raised hogs and a friend and I split one this year. I have about 10 lbs of fat in a bag in my refrigerator – it was frozen at the butcher, but has been in my fridge for two weeks. My sons each got a buck this week so we want to use some of the pork fat in the venison sausage and render the rest. But it has been in a fridge for 2 weeks. ?? Is it still good?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kate, fat doesn’t keep long unfortunately, generally only 2-3 days (though once it’s rendered it will keep much longer). If you pull the fat out of your fridge and look at it closely, you’ll likely see dark moldy/fuzzy spots on it. It’s goes bad quickly and should be kept frozen when not used.
Jerry says
Great article.
I remember as a little boy how dad and grandpa would get together in November and kill hogs. It would turn cold and they would refer to it as hog killing time.
I remember the old cast iron kettle over the fire outside and full of fat cooking down. I also remember the lard can sitting in the kitchen. It seems to me that it was close to the old wood cook stove. I only remember the cracklings in the cornbread and not as a snack or used other ways.
I have been looking for pure lard for six or seven years and all I can find is processed. I finally decided to render my own and went to a local butcher who GAVE me 29 pounds. I decided to check how to cook it down since it had been so many years since I had been around the process. Thanks for your article, not only how to render the fat but about the other oils. We have not had Crisco in our house for more than fifteen years, just used oil. I thought Canola oil was good, boy, you woke me up. I have and keep coconut oil and use it in bread.
If you ever get down toward Memphis. Tennessee just west about 90 miles on I40 is a town named Jackson, if you get a chance visit the Casey Jones village and eat at the ole country store. Fried chicken, white beans, dressing and more plus freshly fried crackling corn cakes. Real down south cooking, you won’t be disappointed.
Again Thanks for the article.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Jerry, I’m so glad you enjoyed the article. Cracklings in cornbread sounds wonderful, I’ll have to try that. Thanks for the tip about the Ole Country Store in Casey Jones Village. We’ve been planning a US history-themed family vacation and will be visiting Tennessee as part of it. I’d love to eat some tried and true, real down south cooking and will definitely keep Jackson in mind, thank you!
Michele says
Wonderful information, thank you. I made my first batch yesterday and it looks really good. It took 5 hours in a crock pot and I’m not sure it was “done”. Could this crock pot’s low be too low? The leftover cracklings are still oily and some soggy after frying and baking! Any thoughts?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Michele, the length of time will vary depending on how much fat you’re rendering and once the fat is melted and your left with cracklings floating on the top it’s done. I don’t have much experience frying the cracklings – they usually just go straight to our chickens – but you’ll want to let them drip/drain for a while in a colander to release the excess oil and then maybe even give them a dab with paper towels before frying them.
Pywacket says
What is the fat called that floats to the top after making bone broth from organic grass fed cows? Is this considered lard when strained?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes, that’s basically what it is and it can be skimmed off the top as the broth cools and separates and then used for cooking.
Anonymous says
Awesome! My dogs are going crazy in the kitchen right now.. I may save the pieces to put in the food when they behave! Thanks again for the recipe and info!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Definitely save those cracklings – we give them to our chickens and they go NUTS! :)
Danitaterbug says
I almost never read these blogs when finding a recipe online due to most of them rambling on about their kids, how they got distracted talking about their kids and so forth but I actually took the time to read this and it was very informative! I’m making my first batch now and am excited to use it in a batch of homemade bread! Would you use lard in substitution for anything calling for Crisco or canola oil?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lol, well I’m glad you took the time to read and that in doing so found this informative – thank you! I just made another batch myself this past weekend. Yes, throw the Crisco out (if you’ve been using it) and use this in its place. Yes, you can also use it in place of oil and depending on the recipe you can either use it in its solid state like you would butter or melt it and use it.
Andree says
H Kimberley, I am rendering lard for the first time today and i can’t wait for the results. I wish i would have read more carefully and cut my fat a bit smaller. I got a nice piece of pork leaf lard from my meat “share”(pastured raised) so i am going for it. i usually do it with duck skin when i need more duck fat for my confit. I get most of my duck fat form Quebec. Most grocery store carries it. A bit closer than France :) I know you can also order online. thanks for the great post!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Andree! The larger chunks will be fine, it will simply take longer to render. I’ve ordered duck fat online from Quebec and it’s crazy expensive here. Fortunately I have a friend in France who visits occasionally and each time she comes she brings me a dozen or so jars of duck and goose fat with her – I’m lucky! I’m getting a duck from a local farmer here soon and will be using some of my duck fat to make duck rillettes, one of my favorites :)
Anonymous says
I left it cooking at low heat for most f the day and it came out great. Beautiful and pure white! I am not a baker so will probably use it for cooking. I was curious if you have ever tried to confit with it. Is that possible? I do have my “liquid gold” (duck fat) that i keep in my fridge and reuse to confit duck legs. I must say my husband and son looked at me and said we are going to eat that fat! :) Little do they know i put a little on the carrots in the foil that were ready for the BBQ. It really doesn’t have a pork taste or smell.
You have a very nice friend. I am always worried when i get to the american border that they won’t let me in with all my duck and maple products…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic! Yes, this is perfect for confit. I’m getting ready to render another big batch of lard and make some pork rillettes!
Cheryl says
Vito December = perhaps a spell-check rendering of Vitamin D. Also, pastured hogs are a lot less likely to be full of antibiotics.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
For sure, Cheryl!
Sandi G says
I have never thought to make my own. I can think of a lot of fun uses for lard.
Casey says
I consider myself very knowledgeable about nutrition and cooking with ‘real’ food; I’ve never used anything to replace butter, didn’t get caught up in the ‘low fat’ & ‘sugar free’ trend and believe in eating food that doesn’t come from any sort of package. With that said, I do have two teens and don’t deprive them of ‘junk food’, but they know exactly what’s in it and why it’s not great for you. Ha! They’re awesome kids and adventuress eaters! I’m lucky ;-) So… I cannot believe I didn’t know the truth about Canola oil!!!! Bah!! How did I miss that?? I usually make salad dressing with a combo of canola and olive oil (per recipe) Maybe almond oil in place of canola? I’ll have to make lard for fried chicken – canola oil was so convenient! Just one more ‘project’ to the list. Actually a little nervous about this one. I’m such a perfectionist, it’ll take me forever! But thanks for the tutorial!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You know, Casey, after making it once you’ll already feel like a pro at it, it’s that easy! For a neutral-tasting oil you can substitute for canola, I’d recommend avocado oil. It also has a high smoke point so it’s a great choice for cooking when you want a neutral flavor. It’s on the pricey side for sure but the best deal I’ve found yet (if you’re in the U.S.) is at Costco. They sell big bottles of it at nearly half the price I’ve seen elsewhere.
Brandy | Nutmeg Nanny says
WOW! Such great tips! That rendered lard looks amazing! So clean!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
I’m all for fat! I try to eat as much as I can stomach. :)
Maryanne | the little epicurean says
This was super informative. Thanks so much for explaining the history behind cooking oils! My grandmother would render her own lard. It made for the BEST fried chicken!