Oh my lard!

Let's talk about lard for a minute!

Most folks have no idea how amazing this stuff is, or how easy it is to render. But what many also don't realize is just how versatile and delicious it is!

Lard is simply pork fat. There's basically two types of lard on a pig. The back fat, which runs obviously along the back and then the "leaf" lard. It is around the kidneys. It's the leaf lard that is the most pure and makes the finest finished product. After leaf lard is rendered it is basically tasteless and odorless and should be bright white. 

The back fat can still be rendered and used but it will have a bit of a porky taste and smell. The lard found in stores is nothing like home rendered lard and typically contains a lot of this back fat that gives it some of that "funk" it is often associated with  which tends to get folks noses wrinkling. 

Good, pure lard however will take the flavor of whatever you are cooking and elevate it. Not sure how, but it does. Tortillas, eggs, veggies, steaks-whatever you use cooking oil for can be cooked with lard! It's pretty much the only oil we use here with the exception of occasional olive oil.

 And baked goods, well, that was likely your grandma's secret to those crazy flaky pie crusts and fluffy biscuits. There just really isn't much that compares. Seriously, do you ever use bacon grease to fry stuff? Well, there ya go. That's lard!

For non food lard is great for for many things. We like if  for our leather conditioning needs. Leather belts, boots, gloves etc stay so supple, resist cracking, become water resistant and just seem to last longer. We also use it for hand cream, soaps and all kinds of things! 

So now that you know why you should be doing it, how do you go about it?

Super simple! 

1. Cut it up

2. Put it in a slow cooker on low, 

3. Wait

4. Strain into containers. 

It really is that easy! But here's a few tips and more info so you can get a better finished product. 

*The smaller the pieces the better the yield will be, since some of the edges "cook" and end up almost trapping the melted lard inside

* Trimming of the "yucky bits" will give the best flavor. The lard can contain bits of blood veins, little strips of meat or connective tissue, the ends of the hair follicle and such. So if you can trim away anything that looks "icky" you'll just have a better taste. 

* Don't rush it. Plan for several hours. You'll know its done when the remaining bits sink. Once there's no longer anything floating it's time to strain. 

* Use a slightly damp tea towel to strain it. That adage of "oil and water don't mix" comes to play here. The dampness of the towel keeps the oil from soaking into the towel and making a mess. It'll also prevent you from losing some of the yield and it helps it strain/drain faster. 

* Several smaller containers work better than a couple larger ones. Do yourself a favor and buy a few cheap freezer containers (like the Glad Freezerware) that stack well. They work perfectly! Buy more than you think you'll need, just in case. 

* Put the containers on a cookie sheet or baking pan to catch the drips and spills. Trust us, it'll drip and you'll be happy to have something under them to contain the oil.

* Let it cool a bit before trying to strain it. Hot oil people! It burns! And it goes everywhere if it does spill. 

So that is it! You really should give this a try! If you decide to give it a try, let us know! And as always of you have any questions give us a shout!