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
Theresa says
Thank you, great help and look forward to exploring new recipes with lard.
Anne Hamilton says
Thank you for this recipe. For how much to get: I lived in Germany for many years and got used to rendering my own leaf lard (The Germans tend to render ALL the fat together, which makes a good spreading fat, but too soft for pie dough). I used to get one kilo (about 2.2 pounds) and pour the rendered fat into an 8×4 loaf pan lined with parchment, then cut it into 2/3 cup chunks (each enough for my pie dough recipe). I used to get enough for about 8 chunks, which I wrapped and froze – for me it was enough for a year.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s a great tip, Anne, thanks so much for sharing!
Paula Youmell says
Thanks for confirming for me what I observed my Gram & Mom do with pig fat. I have a jar from a local farmer, mold growing. I totally cleaned off the mold, melted it down, and am “re rendering” at 225F in the oven for an hour or two. Said farmer did not strain it well. I will this time AND store with paper towel over the top secured by rubber band. I am out of cheese cloth at the moment.
JACQUES C STEENKAMP says
Hi, can this fat be spread on bread and eaten?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jacques, yes it can. In Germany it’s commonly mixed with finely chopped pork cracklings, apple, and caramelized onions.
Arpad Matta says
I grew up in Transylvania. We ate lard on home made bread, with salt and paprika almost daily. All Hungarians also used lard to preserve fried sausages in glass jars. They would last for months.
Robert Mustin says
Is it possible to send to me or post the recipe for the sausage and how it is stored. I love trying sausages from wherever I can find them….Thanks
Dianna says
I am in the process of cooking down 4.3 lbs of leaf lard after reading your article! I am so excited! I actually found a vendor for the leaf lard at the farmer’s market last week and picked my package up yesterday $10. For those wondering how to find leaf lard, maybe trying your local farmer’s market will turn up a source to try. The price can’t be beat! Hopefully, I won’t screw it up in the cooking process…lol! Here is a short blurb on the vendor I found in case you live in Northern California: Golden Acorn Farm is a small family farm, nestled in the forests of Amador County, California. We pasture raise heritage Red Wattle hogs, large black cross hogs, turkeys, chickens, and Nigerian Dwarf goats. We believe in raising animals how nature intended; outdoors on pasture, without hormones or antibiotics. We only feed local sourced non-GMO feed. We believe in raising all animals with love and producing the freshest and highest quality products to nourish our community.
I would never have thought to try and process my own lard until I read your article. We need to get back to the old traditions that actually worked and provided delicious food!!! I am excited to start incorporating lard in my recipes and definitely will delete the use of Crisco! I have already stopped using canola in favor of avocado oil even though it is a little more expensive. Your body is your temple so provide the best that you can afford! Thanks for posting such an informative and detailed article on how to render your own lard…I am so thankful to have found it.
Maren says
This has been very helpful, thank you so much for these detailed instructions. Rendering lard for the first time ever and needed to know how long the process would take and when it was done and got my answer here! Thanks!
Katrina says
Hi, you say that the crock pot method takes several hours. But how many exactly? 5? 10? 12? Am I waiting for all the steam to dissipate? What temperature should I be maintaining? I feel like we need more detailed instructions.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Katrina, there are too many factors involved to give an exact time, including how much lard you’re rendering and how large or small the chopped pieces are. The rendered lard will reach a point where there are some chunks of fat remaining that refuse to render/break down any further, they’ll just remain the same size. That’s the point where it’s done.
Kelly says
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so excited I found a farmer that sells the pasture raised pork. I was wondering how much I need to buy though. He sells $10/lb. About how much lard will a lb of fat render into?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kelly, I haven’t measured how much rendered lard a pound of fat yields. I looked up the question and one source says “every pound of unrendered pork fat should yield somewhere in the ballpark of one pint of rendered lard,” but I have not confirmed that. $10 per pound is really pricey for fat, even pasture raised fat. I hate to think what he charges for the actual meat!
Ann Marie says
Thought I’d chime in as I just rendered my very first batch of lard yesterday with the guidance of your blog. Thank you Kimberly, for your wonderful information! As to the amount rendered, I had 2 pounds of leaf fat and I got 2 pints of lard, so the source you quoted was on the money!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Anne, I’m glad it was a success and appreciate the feedback!
Becca says
Thanks for such clear instructions! I’ll have some leaf fat soon, can’t wait to render it. Question: could one run the fat through a meat grinder? I have one and after you mentioned having the butcher do it, I wondered if I could do it in mine. Didn’t know if it would gum things up or not.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Becca, absolutely, I do it all the time. Just make sure the fat is FROZEN when you run it through. Happy rendering! :)
Jennifer O says
Hello, I was just using my crock pot to slow cook a pork shoulder. There is a thick layer of fat on the meat. Can I use that to make the lard after the meat is cooked? Was I supposed to trim it off first? The crock pot was full of meat juices, which I saved. Thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jennifer, the fat will have already rendered most of the way from cooking so I doubt you’ll get much out of it if you render it again.
PeteM says
Does anyone know how pure the lard was in the UK when I was growing up there in the ’60’s? My mother, and I, when I left home always used to make chips(French fries)in lard in the chip pan. They tasted the best!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi PeteM, I’ll let our British readers who are in the know answer that one but just wanted to add that I fry my fish and chips in beef tallow and yes, it makes ALL the difference in flavor!
Bon Vernarelli says
I’m not new to lard rendering, but I feel a little like Goldilocks. The first time it was too soft (wrong pig parts). The second time it was too piggy and brown but the cracklings were awesome!(too high a temperature). This last time it is way too hard, more like candle wax. From the fridge I have to crack it out of the jar with a sharp knife. It tastes nice and mild, but it feels waxy on the tongue. I have quite a lot of it and wonder if there’s a way to salvage it without making candles. I get the fat from the same butcher shop each time. It was definitely leaf lard because the kidneys were attached. Any suggestions?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bon, it really sounds like that last round of fat was beef and not pork – maybe the butcher grabbed the wrong stash. I say that because I regularly render beef fat as well and it’s exactly the texture you described – nearly hard as rock and I have to chip it out with a knife. Pork fat is much softer; at room temp it is VERY soft. In the fridge it will still be MUCH softer than beef fat but still fairly “scoopable.”
Kenneth Moore says
Bon, I am SURE that there are scads of birds that would love the lard if you don’t like something about it.
Just re-melt it and mix in some various types of seed and/or some peanut butter and make suet cakes for them.
Rich says
Worked like a charm. My wife and I had never made lard but love to cook. We followed the recipe and now have a beautiful half pint of pure white lard. Ummm fried chicken.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Rich, congratulations!
Linda Wetch says
when cooking the fat in a crock pot, do you keep the lid off, or just ajar?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Linda, leave the lid off entirely.
Loretta Jasper says
My mother-in-law frequently rendered lard from pork fat, and the cracklings …she did all this in her oven.
Now I have never tried it myself, but with your all your information, I am definitely going to give it a try….your tutorials are great, so I really shouldn’t have a problem…if I do, I’ll be back here to holler for help….
I love your site, your recipes look fabulous, thanks for sharing all your talent here…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Loretta!