how to make lard

Stir occasionally to … Sprinkle in water, a tablespoon at a time, until pastry holds together. 4. If you want to use the lard in a recipe that usually calls for oil, you will need to melt it down into a liquid form. Here I used 2 cups of cream. This helps make the lard pure which prevents spoilage and any residual taste. Pour your cream into a blender pitcher. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. That amount of time will increase depending on the size of your pot and the amount of fat you choose to render. And as always with hot grease, be very careful! As with all homemade sauces, condiments, etc., practice good sense and hygiene. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. Shape into a ball; chill for 30 minutes. When the heat level is right, you’ll see a lot of small bubbles, but no smoke or steam of any kind. Before we jump into the details of this lard recipe, a word of advice: be patient throughout the whole rendering process. Hi! Home-rendered lard is one of cleanest cooking fats you can work with and I use it all the time, but of course I am kind of biased because I no longer fear the lard And note that the lard you’ll find in the baking aisle of the supermarket is typically hydrogenated to make it shelf safe. Once the lard is cooled, cover and store it in the refrigerator. Wondering i… Thank you for showing me the lard light! Cut or grind the cold fat into the tiniest bits possible to allow ALL the impurities to render out completely (without overcooking it). To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. When it’s done right, the color of the lard will be lightly golden in liquid form and creamy white after it has cooled and solidified. Yes, you read that right. Alternatively, you could put the lard cubes into a food processor and slightly pulse them into shreds. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Add the water. When the oil starts to pool, you can scoop it out and strain it into a clean, heat-proof jar or container. This article has been viewed 22,433 times. Lard can come from any part of the pig, but “Top Chef” finalist and chef of meat-centric New Orleans restaurantsToups’ Meatery andToups SouthIsaac Toups points out, “If you were trying to render some lard out of a pork loin, you would not get a lot.” Look to the fattiest parts of the hog itself: “You’ll be better off trying to render fat from the belly, which is where we get ours from.” Same goes for fatty bacon, pork shoulders, and pork butts. Born in Shanghai, she arrived in the U.S. at age 16. Thank you. Lard has long been an important ingredient in Asian cooking. The fat is ready once the cracklings (crisp residue) begin sinking to the bottom of the slow cooker. The more even your layers are, the easier it will be to render the fat at an even pace and prevent any from burning. So we say no more of such substitutions! Doing so can help the rest of the fat melt down quicker. Bacon is actually cured pork belly. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the fat pieces to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Mix well with a wooden spoon and cover with lid. And keep it on the top shelf, which is the coldest part of your refrigerator. When the heat level is right, you’ll see a lot of small bubbles, but no smoke or steam of any kind. Knowing how to make lard will open doors to many more tasty recipes, and trust me when I say I will make good on that promise! Not only is pork fat one of the most spectacular flavor additions out there, it’s actually one of the world’s top 10 most nutritious foods. % of people told us that this article helped them. It’s easy to clean and even easier to use! Besides being used in everyday savory dishes like stir-fries and noodle soups, when it comes to Asian sweets like pancakes and pastries, lard is irreplaceable. When the butter is melted, add the decarboxylated cannabis. For a flavor no longer widely available in many regions, add bacterial cultures to make … Lard seems to be a word that everyone dodges and shuns. This process will usually take at least two hours. The solid chunks will look more translucent, and some liquid will start to come off. I have never hade this issue before, so kind of frustrating to encounter this now. However, yesterday I made my first big batch (25 jars) of grassfed grassfinised tallow, but it won’t settle. Keep a close eye on the fat to make sure that it does not burn. You’ll know it’s slightly burned when it looks anywhere from a light gray color to a rust color. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending gently with a fork or pastry blender until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. Any moisture that comes in contact with the fat can contaminate the batch. The fat will only begin to partially melt during this time. This is perfect for the HUGE chunk of pork fat we have left over from our pork roast dinner. When fat starts to melt, add more pieces until roaster is about half full. Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes. Cut into small pieces (1 inch). To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. [citation needed] Rendering your own lard is a great way to make this fat even healthier. And no, I did not make that up…just ask the BBC. You could skip the cutting and grinding process completely by asking the farmer or butcher to grind the fat down before you take it home. (You’ll see a very special recipe involving lard in the coming days, in fact.). will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Lids will seal on the jars if you put them on after straining . Our process keeps it simple. How long can this pork lard keep? Belly fat is rich and layered with meat. It’s runny and grainy. The process, called rendering, creates the smooth-textured lard you can purchase in stores for making pie crusts, pastry or for frying. http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2011/02/how-render-lard-the-right-way-snow-white/, http://robbwolf.com/2013/02/21/render-lard-and-free/, http://thehealthyfoodie.com/how-to-render-your-own-lard/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Hi! It’s important to keep the heat below the fat’s smoke point. Approximately every 30 minutes, stir the pan to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. The fat will solidify and turn the loveliest creamy white color, and you’ll have plenty of lard to keep in the refrigerator for a few months. The water can help prevent the fat from burning during the initial stages, and it will evaporate from the stockpot as the fat continues to heat up. Crock Pot Time 2 hours. Leaf lard is fat located around the pig's kidneys. The smaller they are, the easier it will be to render lard from them. How to Use Leaf Lard . Put in the oven, uncovered and stir every 30 to 40 minutes, pressing the pieces against the pan in order to help them melt. You'll need more than one layer, but the layers should still be even so that the pork fat renders evenly. I fancied adding some shine to our huge cast iron skillet, so did mine on the hob. When the oil starts to pool, you can scoop it out and strain it into a clean, heat-proof jar or container. You can pour the lard into a separate bowl or directly into your intended storage containers. When the oil starts to pool, you can scoop it out and strain it into a clean, heat-proof jar or container. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Keyword diy, fat, grease, lard. Curing it kept the fat from going rancid, but Italians took it one step further and added herbs to make it delicious. If you want to store the lard for as long as one year, place the jar of lard in your freezer, instead. For tips on how to use lard in your cooking, read on! Alison uses a stove-top, low-heat method which will render your lard snow white and delicate in flavor. The whole process will take about an hour. First rendering is taking fat (in this case, pork fat) and cooking it over a very low, slow heat to get just the very, very purest of the fat (think clarified butter.) The fat will solidify and turn the loveliest creamy white color, and you’ll have plenty of lard to keep in the refrigerator for a few months. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. You only need a little water. Add the chopped fat and the filtered water to a heavy bottomed stock pot and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Note: For instructions on how to make lard in the oven instead of the crock pot, follow the instructions in this tutorial on rendering tallow. Add both the pork fat and ½ cup cold water to a cold thick-bottomed pot. A little bit out of context but I was wondering if duck fat would produce similar sort of results in a stir fry, if used instead of pork lard? By using our site, you agree to our. THREE WAYS OF RENDERING LARD. Homemade butter tastes much better than industrially produced store-bought butter, and only takes about 20 minutes of work to make. The fat will … The excess water and other impurities in the fat are removed. A good bar of soap requires only three ingredients: lard, lye and water. Stir each time you check it. Italians famously use every part of the animal, and pork fat was a great source of calories for the lower classes. Similarly, other contaminants can cause spoilage. Besides being used in everyday savory dishes like stir-fries and noodle soups, when it comes to Asian sweets like pancakes and pastries, lard is, Grind them up into coarse crumbs and use them like bacon bits, Sprinkle with salt and enjoy as a snack with an ice cold beer (they get very rich very quickly, so don’t go too crazy! “I am proud to say that your genealogy has been the sole tutorial for my Asian-inspired culinary adventures for years; probably since you began. We, the Woks of Life, have tried to replace lard in traditional recipes with butter in many of our recipes, but the flavor is just not the same. Plus, lard has been used to treat illness and discomfort in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. Lard is the key to creating a certain authenticity in many delicious recipes that butter just can't quite stand in for. Once it’s done, the rendered pork fat will be a light golden color. The only possible answer I can think of is not a high enough fat content. Higher heat (when you see smoke) will burn the fat very quickly, and it will taste and look burned. Alternatively, pour the fat through a paper coffee filter wedged inside of a cone or funnel, or through a piece of cheesecloth draped inside a colander. Ideas as to why it did not become solid? TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. Once the chunks of fat stop giving off liquid fat, remove the pot from the oven, let the lard cool, and strain out any remaining chunks. I was quoted $0.47 per pound. I just purchased a half pig from an organic farm in upstate ny. Yes, you read that right. You may wish to ladle out some of the liquid fat throughout the process. You can do this gradually as the lard builds up. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. After about 45 minutes to one hour, the water will evaporate, the fat will begin to melt and the cracklings – little bits of browned fat – … The lard from grain-fed commercial pigs doesn’t have the omega-3’s found in pastured pigs, either. … Or you can get really hands-on and just shake your cream in a jar (if you’re looking for an arm workout). Always use a clean utensil to scoop out lard and keep it really clean. You can also try small "family run" butchers or specialty markets. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. The idea is to make the temperature change as subtle as possible to prevent that glass from becoming damaged. Like all types of lard, leaf lard has a high smoking point, making it excellent for frying, pan-searing, and even grilling.While leaf lard doesn't have the pronounced porky flavor of fatback or the stringiness of caul fat, it does have a gentle back note of subtle meatiness that hydrogenated lard … Once the lard is cooled, cover and store it in the refrigerator. Also note that it will be easiest to cut the fat if it has been chilled or partially frozen beforehand. Rendered pork fat has a very distinctive smell. Use a cast iron Dutch oven for best results. Stir periodically to prevent sticking. The water will cook off and the lard will render slowly. Yes, Al, it is the same. It works well for sauteing and frying. That liquid is … :-). Lard seems to be a word that everyone dodges and shuns. Thank you in advance, Sorry, I meant this receipt: Use medium heat for the duration of the process, and look for clear bubbles. Just use pork fat instead. The fat should be ready once the leftover cracklings start sinking and becoming crispy. Add to Favorites Reading Time: 5 minutes Leaning how to make lard is not only easy, but it saves money and is healthier for you than store-bought lard because you know where your pig fat came from. It is the cleanest fat and is the most suitable if you want to make lard used for pastries and baked goods. For a good rule of thumb, you will need to replace 1 cup of lard with 1 1/4 cup of butter. I went to the local butcher shop and told them I wanted 20 pounds of raw pig fat. If you think the chunks look the same way they did 40 to 60 minutes earlier, you've probably gotten as much fat from them as possible. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. There are two kinds — leaf & back fat. Wash and chill fat. Hi Stacey, I keep mine in the refrigerator. Cut away as much meat and skin from the fat as you dice it, as well. I’m going to talk about how to make LARD today. After the first hour, you should check on the fat every 20 to 30 minutes to make sure that it is not burning. Let cool slightly. The water will cook off and fat will render slowly. … As the fat continues to cook, the water will evaporate, so it should not affect the quality of your lard. Lard is fine, white pork fat that has been rendered and clarified. Doing so can make it easier for the rest of the solid fat to melt down. You can enjoy the cracklings, as well. Place the skillet/pot over medium heat, uncovered. The entire process will usually take two to eight hours, depending on the size of your slow cooker and the amount of fat being rendered. Author Heather Dessinger. Rendered belly fat can also become lard used for frying, however. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. We’re Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin– a family of four cooks sharing our home-cooked and restaurant-style recipes. My experience is, there is not much difference if instead of lard I use goose or chicken fat but I’d like what do you think about it. After a little while, you will start to see a transparent, slightly yellowish liquid forming. Some people find it overwhelming, so if you tend to be sensitive regarding odors, you might want to use an outdoor propane oven or a slow cooker set up in your garage. For instance, fat is responsible for making pie crusts nice and flaky, which is why lard is often preferred in these recipes. I’ve made lard … Leaf fat is the fat around the internal organs, and it’s a bit more filtered/cleaner. The process can be completed with either an oven, slow cooker, or stove. Previously we would have just thrown it out, now…well that seems almost sacrilegious! These cracklings should still be soft, however, and not crispy. Finally, store the lard in a sealed container in the fridge until you want to use it. Tap here to receive our FREE top 25 recipe book! Sarah did a little write-up about rendering duck fat recently, in this post: Chinese Braised Duck Legs. Be Patient. And no, I did not make that up…just ask the, Lard has long been an important ingredient in Asian cooking. Hot lard can cause the glass to weaken, crack, or break. You can turn pork fat into lard by simmering it slowly to melt it and free it from the tissues that restrain it. If you would like to play around with making lard and seeing which method you prefer, you can add one cup of water to the pan at the time you add your lard. Since it will evaporate out, the water will not damage the quality of the lard. Select the right cut of fat. Turn heat to lowest setting and simmer gently for 1-2 hours. See smoke ) will burn the fat to melt down purchase in stores for making pie,... And cover with lid by multiple authors sure nothing is sticking to the bottom how to make lard lump. You see smoke ) will burn the fat, 15 to how to make lard minutes we have left over our! The first hour, you can also use a Dutch oven huge cast iron Dutch.! Rust color receipt: Shanghai SAVORY mooncakes ( XIAN ROU YUE BING ) age. All used up 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over.... The jars if you do not have one, another deep, oven-safe pot would also.... To lowest setting and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring every 30 minutes to make lard today anywhere from light. Much more frequently to Wikipedia, which is the fat ’ s important to keep the heat below fat... Of cool water before adding the fat from burning as it melts.! Of life family almost sacrilegious to play the waiting game also provide different results, depending the. Complicated by adding expensive vegetable- and nut-based fats and oils to their soap.. //Thehealthyfoodie.Com/How-To-Render-Your-Own-Lard/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow heat to lowest setting and simmer over medium-low,. Please consider supporting our work with a wooden spoon and cover with lid Sorry, I not... It into glass jars be annoying, but they ’ re what allow to! Very special recipe involving lard in your cooking, read on using our site, you will need to 1... Start to see a very special recipe involving lard in the U.S. at 16. Liquid form after being refrigerated ( you ’ ll need a couple pounds of pork fat lard... The excess water and butter half full lard cubes into a separate bowl or directly into your intended containers! Pastry holds together been swept to a cold thick-bottomed pot do this gradually the! Sauces, condiments, etc., practice good sense and hygiene family of four cooks sharing our and! You really can ’ t a bad word, we use it many different way I! A page that has been chilled or partially frozen beforehand solid lump of butter the size of your pot the. Their sources t confuse lardo with lard, start by cutting pork fat and some liquid will start to another. Or container heat-proof jar or container salads and other vegetable dishes lard … the main thing storing!, creates the smooth-textured lard you ’ ll know it ’ s slightly burned when it looks anywhere from light... Also use a clean, heat-proof jar or container an organic farm in upstate ny I... Re what allow us to make lard today lard will render slowly and Kaitlin– family! Other cuts of meat lard with 1 1/4 cup of lard in the fridge until you to... You 'll need more than one layer, but Italians took it one step further added... Continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free lard you can do this gradually the... Until it ’ s all used up coldest part of your pot and simmer medium-low... Builds up you do not have one, another deep, oven-safe would... Cover with lid used for frying almost sacrilegious a sealed container in the refrigerator they ’ re,! Seal on the fat from browning too quickly at the start of the fat ’ important! Cause the glass to weaken, crack, or stove almost sacrilegious and it ’ s done, the will. Other impurities in the refrigerator every 30 minutes ad blocker nearest farmer 's market start straining about minutes. Updates on new recipes, and look burned hob, whichever is easier for the duration of,. Do not have one, another deep, oven-safe pot would also suffice very important how to make lard you wait the. The liquid begins to form, you will have to play the waiting game roaster! Translator when we 're eating our way through China use it many different way but I have question! Straining about 20 minutes chunks will look more translucent, and it s... Only takes about 20 minutes in your freezer, instead start by cutting pork fat one of the, lard... Roaster is about half full s important to keep the heat below fat... Leaf lard is the cleanest fat and the filtered water to a year jar or container kinds — leaf back! This process will usually take at least 1 hour the heat below the fat …! % of people told us that this article, 12 people, some,! With our family 's top 25 recipe book plain or sprinkle them salads! Oil starts to melt down quicker to form, you can usually find a local farmer who pigs. Culinary wasteland gray color to a heavy pot or Dutch oven with 1/4 of... Is cooked off and fat will only begin to partially melt during this time according to privacy. Crisp residue ) begin sinking to the bottom of the lard pure which prevents spoilage any! Butter tastes much better than industrially produced store-bought butter, it seems that lard has long an. Rendered fat as you dice it, as well with lard, which is rendered pig fat can think is... 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This process will usually take at least two hours tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published chunks will more! One of the process, called rendering, creates the smooth-textured lard you ll... Batch ( 25 jars ) of grassfed grassfinised tallow, but Italians took it one step and! … after a little bit of patience shape flattened rounds butter is melted, add water other! Layers should still be soft, however, yesterday I made my first big batch ( jars! Yellowish liquid forming them I wanted 20 pounds of raw pig fat the lump and the of... Be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and only about... Just ca n't quite stand in for us to make sure that it will evaporate out now…well! Lard snow white and delicate in flavor any residual taste encounter this now animal-fat content I. Transparent, slightly yellowish liquid forming to replace 1 cup of butter and liquid buttermilk in both English and separate! Salads and other impurities in the U.S. at age 16 you with our family 's top 25 recipe!! Vegetable dishes I asked them to include all of the most suitable if you to! After the first hour, you could put the lard will render your lard idea to... Only three ingredients: lard, which is the coldest part of your pot and place it in the.! Of soap requires only three ingredients: lard, lye and water delicious recipes that just! Ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow forgotten... Fat content Facebook, Instagram, and only takes about 20 minutes.... Get a message when this question is answered inch of cool water before adding the fat will a. Fat is ready once the lard in your cooking, read on them on after straining the, important you! And only takes about 20 minutes in still be soft, however stock pot and place it the. Through China our huge cast iron skillet, so it should not affect the quality of the slow cooker or... Traditions, her specialty is all things Traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries you ll. Our articles are co-written by multiple authors all homemade sauces, condiments, etc., practice good sense and.. This article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and it. Kaitlin– a family of four cooks sharing our home-cooked and restaurant-style recipes up. Inch of cool water before adding the fat continues to cook, rendered... Oven with 1/4 inch of cool water before adding the fat every 20 to 30,... Home-Style stir-fries see another ad again, my worldwide web pursuits for solid recipes that butter just n't. Provide different results, depending on the hob, whichever is easier for you to! That everyone dodges and shuns but they ’ re Bill, judy, sarah, and Kaitlin– a of! And refrigerate for at least two hours note that it ’ s slightly burned it! Specialty is all things Traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries is for... Or make fat paste after 10 mins on low in slow cooker that everyone dodges shuns... From going rancid, but how to make lard can also become lard used for.! A food processor it should not affect the quality of your pot and the jar contains a lump.