Rendering Lard

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Dani

Dani

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I have been rendering quite a few ways now, thick bottom pot with 1/4 c water and no water added, double boiler, crock pot with added water and no water, grinding fat first etc, but thought I would share my favorite. So far it is grinding the fat first and placing it in a roaster pan in a 290 F oven. Over 300 is just too hot. It still needs to be stirred every 15-20 minutes, but I don't feel glued to it. I can work on other projects while it is doing it's thing. Once done, I strain it thru cheese cloth and then a second time into the canning jars I am going to store it in. Place lids on top and once cooled the yellow liquid will turn into a solid white. Today I got 3 gallons and 1 pint which took me 7 hours total time to do, but it was broken down into 3 different batches.
 
I remember my mum rendering lard and what is known over here as dripping (beef fat) not sure what you call it. She alsways chopped it into small chunks then used a slow oven.
From hanging around with my mum in her kitchen I picked a lot of skills that are rarely taught or needed, they are all tucked away in my memory and now and then I use them. When I can chicken thighs I skin them first and render the fat off the skin.

Out of interest, do you store the lard as it is or do you process it any way first?

I have made Ghee and that was very successful it stored well over a year.
 
Lard is shelf stable as is as long as all crackling are removed so I just store without further process now. As the jars are cooling down the lids seal but it's not necessary. They are then stored on my stockroom shelves.

Beef fat rendered is called tallow here. I dont render the beef fat or chicken but the pups sure love it. Their tummies are not so good with pork fat though and when we do give them some scraps its only a little at a time.
 
Danil54grl said:
Lard is shelf stable as is as long as all crackling are removed so I just store without further process now. As the jars are cooling down the lids seal but it's not necessary. They are then stored on my stockroom shelves.

Beef fat rendered is called tallow here. I dont render the beef fat or chicken but the pups sure love it. Their tummies are not so good with pork fat though and when we do give them some scraps its only a little at a time.
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Just curious, what do you use the lard for?
 
Thanks Danil. Our local butcher gives pork fat away for free on occasion so I'll look out and get some to render.
 
It takes a while before it turn solid in the jars but I'll take a picture so you can see the final product. Ask for the leaf fat or back fat. It's firmer and has less of the porky flavors. I don't like using the 'squishy' fat and render that separately for the dogs. It can be used for cooking but not in pasteries.
 
I think the main difference between lard and tallow is that tallow has a higher concentration of stearic and palmitic acid (saturated fatty acids), making it solid at room temperature, while lard is soft at room temperature. Polk lard has more polyunsaturated fat, and less saturated fat.

In fact, the word "stearic" comes from the Greek word "στέαρ" (stéar) which means "tallow."
 
You can press the crackling with it, but i have not done it that way before even though I do have a lard press. I use it as a cheese press instead. If I didn't have one of the handle cranked sauce makers I would probably be using it as a fruit press too.
 
Sorry but was with out internet for the last week, but here is a picture. I got a total of 12 gallons and placed them in 1/2 gallons and quart size jars. It is not like the lard that you buy at the grocery store because it doesn't sit up as firm unless you put it in the fridge. We have Hampshire pigs for meat and then they bred with the pot bellies that were given to us, so we don't have "lard" pigs and I did not separate the leaf and back fat. Had I done the leaf by itself, it would have been firmer. When I use it in place of shortening, I just add in a little more flour in the recipes. If using in place of oil, I add in the amount called for. BIL was over the other day and tried a piece of pie. He thought that was the best crust he has ever had. Told him it was made with lard and I do use vinegar. It is really amazing just how much better it makes things taste.
IMG_20180510_062203.jpg
 
Wow! That looks amazing. Can't beat it for making pastry.
 
Danil54grl said:
Sorry but was with out internet for the last week, but here is a picture. I got a total of 12 gallons and placed them in 1/2 gallons and quart size jars. It is not like the lard that you buy at the grocery store because it doesn't sit up as firm unless you put it in the fridge. We have Hampshire pigs for meat and then they bred with the pot bellies that were given to us, so we don't have "lard" pigs and I did not separate the leaf and back fat. Had I done the leaf by itself, it would have been firmer. When I use it in place of shortening, I just add in a little more flour in the recipes. If using in place of oil, I add in the amount called for. BIL was over the other day and tried a piece of pie. He thought that was the best crust he has ever had. Told him it was made with lard and I do use vinegar. It is really amazing just how much better it makes things taste.View attachment 8710
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How can I buy a few jars? :)
 
We make and use only the lard from the pigs we slaughter with the neighbors or buy the fat and render our own. We have never used tallow as yet but could get some from the local ranch as they butcher regularly. Maybe we should ask. Does anybody prefer tallow over lard? IF so why?
 
GaRp58 said:
We make and use only the lard from the pigs we slaughter with the neighbors or buy the fat and render our own. We have never used tallow as yet but could get some from the local ranch as they butcher regularly. Maybe we should ask. Does anybody prefer tallow over lard? IF so why?
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From what I have read. Lard for flakyou pastries and tallow for deep frying.

Personally, I have no idea.
 
Years ago I spotted an old antique looking , cast-iron contraption in a pawn shop that likely had come out of grandpa's barn . Obviously it was some sort of press . Figuring I might could use it to press fruit for making jelly bought it . Later I found out it was a lard press . I have used it only once , but can say it increased our lard yield about 70% .-- Likely though some of you guys know more efficient ways to render lard without using a lard press than I . --- As tasty as lard fried food is we don't us it much as it is my understanding lard will clog up your arteries like a clogged up sewer pipe . The key to surviving a diet including lard is being very physically active . What some these days pass off as being physically active is " not " what our forefathers called being active .
 
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Yes, I use my lard for tasty flaky pie crusts. Fried chicken, fried eggs, fried taters and such in lard also. For deep frying, I get special sunflower based deepfrying oil. BUT, I think I might try the lard too once...
 
Lard (per Tablespoon)
  • Saturated Fat: 41%
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 47.5%
  • Omega-3: 128 mg
  • Omega-6: 1300 mg
Beef Tallow (per Tablespoon)
  • Saturated Fat: 49.8%
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 41.8%
  • Omega-3: 77 mg
  • Omega-6: 397 mg
Rendered Duck Fat (per Tablespoon)
  • Saturated Fat: 32.8%
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 49.2%
  • Omega-3: 128 mg
  • Omega-6: 1539 mg
 
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