Cooking with Lard

[Shooby]

  Does anyone use lard rather than other cooking oils or Crisco?  Kind of interesting to read the history of processed cooking oils.  Lard is a natural product.  Where do you buy it and does it need refrigerated?  Do you find it affects the taste of your food?

[countrygirl2]

I use it but mix it with olive oil.  Lard has a higher burn temperature, its wonderful when frying chicken, nothing tastes like it.  I also use bacon grease but again now I mix it with olive oil or canola, but more and more I use olive in the mix.  I am more careful then I used to be.  To me its better as the other crap not even bugs or flies will eat it, that tells me that stuff cannot be good, same with margarine, I use butter.

I order it from Tendergrass Farms, they have it on sale once or twice a year and is shipped in dry ice. I see  right now its not available, its not cheap and I have quite a few containers in the freezer.  I bought several last year.  I will again if I can get it.  I'm going to ask at the Meat Locker we go to and see if they do it, but I kind of doubt it.  The best is what they call leaf lard.  Lard should have no smell if it does its either old or from old boars, then it smells horrible.

[andi9899]

No. I only cook with canola or olive oil.

[Shooby]

Aug 25, 2018 11:18:48 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

I use it but mix it with olive oil.  Lard has a higher burn temperature, its wonderful when frying chicken, nothing tastes like it.  I also use bacon grease but again now I mix it with olive oil or canola, but more and more I use olive in the mix.  I am more careful then I used to be.  To me its better as the other crap not even bugs or flies will eat it, that tells me that stuff cannot be good, same with margarine, I use butter.

I order it from Tendergrass Farms, they have it on sale once or twice a year and is shipped in dry ice. I see  right now its not available, its not cheap and I have quite a few containers in the freezer.  I bought several last year.  I will again if I can get it.  I'm going to ask at the Meat Locker we go to and see if they do it, but I kind of doubt it.  The best is what they call leaf lard.  Lard should have no smell if it does its either old or from old boars, then it smells horrible.

Do you have to refrigerate it?  

[Shooby]

I looked up the leaf lard, and it's quite expensive at least on amazon.  

[Jaguar]

Aug 25, 2018 12:43:45 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Aug 25, 2018 11:18:48 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

I use it but mix it with olive oil.  Lard has a higher burn temperature, its wonderful when frying chicken, nothing tastes like it.  I also use bacon grease but again now I mix it with olive oil or canola, but more and more I use olive in the mix.  I am more careful then I used to be.  To me its better as the other crap not even bugs or flies will eat it, that tells me that stuff cannot be good, same with margarine, I use butter.

I order it from Tendergrass Farms, they have it on sale once or twice a year and is shipped in dry ice. I see  right now its not available, its not cheap and I have quite a few containers in the freezer.  I bought several last year.  I will again if I can get it.  I'm going to ask at the Meat Locker we go to and see if they do it, but I kind of doubt it.  The best is what they call leaf lard.  Lard should have no smell if it does its either old or from old boars, then it smells horrible.

Do you have to refrigerate it?  

I found this on lard :

As with all cooking fats, eventually, lard can go bad. ... Lard kept at room temperature will keep for about four to six months, depending on conditions. By contrast, lard stored in the refrigerator will have a shelf life of up to a year.


The exact shelf life of lard if stored properly in a sealed up container or jar in the refrigerator is a year. If you want to extend the shelf life of lard even longer, freezing the lard in freezer safe containers can keep it preserved for up to 3 years.

[countrygirl2]

I freeze it till I use it, then keep it refrigerated.  Way back when I was growing up and we had a hog butchered they would fill a lard can or as much as the hog made.  For us it usually lasted a year.  Mom
kept it in the root cellar so it didn't go bad, was cool enough.  But my basement is heated and cooled so can't do that.  

Another reason I don't use just lard is the expense, is why I blend it.

[countrygirl2]

I wouldn't let it set out, it will go rancid, it needs refrigerated after thawing.

[Artemis Windsong]

It's great in banana bread.  The way my mom used to make it.

Walmart has lard in the Mexican Food area.

[countrygirl2]

They carry it as do many stores, by Armour I think, don't like the taste, generally is strong.  Also in 

Mexican stores is called Manteca.  I never used it till I found that one brand.

[toomuchreality]

I dislike french fries these days. Seems everyone has become so health-conscious, or maybe it is for another reason such as cost, they use oil now instead of fat or lard, so the fries have little taste (unless it is like cardboard). Yuck!

[Shooby]

They didn't have any at my local grocer, lol.

[Opti]

Aug 25, 2018 9:23:59 GMT -5 Shooby said:

  Does anyone use lard rather than other cooking oils or Crisco?  Kind of interesting to read the history of processed cooking oils.  Lard is a natural product.  Where do you buy it and does it need refrigerated?  Do you find it affects the taste of your food?

Real leaf lard is cool, but hard to find. Most lards, in even the better stores, are processed with preservatives, etc.

[thyme4change]

I use it for fry bread and sometimes for making the masa for tamales. They sell it in most of the grocery stores here. I buy it and use it within 24 hours. It is on the shelf at the store, so I have never refrigerated it.

[countrygirl2]

I believe this lard doesn't have preservatives, need to check the label, it must be kept refrigerated. I know it says its organic.

I also purchased one of those copper sets, with a wire basket on a pan and I bake frozen French fries, shrimp, fish sticks, things like that and don't use any kind of oil or lard for them.  I don't deep fry anything like that anymore.

But I still use some lard for other things like frying potatoes, pork chops, fresh fish, chicken.  I figure the frozen purchased stuff already has enough of everything on it.

I just like cooking real food as much as possible.

[NoNamePerson]

This thread made me lard conscious. I saw it in Publix today. In a small type of packaging like butter. It was down from the Plugra butter is the only reason I saw it. 

[weltschmerz]

Aug 26, 2018 4:54:20 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

I dislike french fries these days. Seems everyone has become so health-conscious, or maybe it is for another reason such as cost, they use oil now instead of fat or lard, so the fries have little taste (unless it is like cardboard). Yuck!

If chains still used lard, a lot of people wouldn't buy the fries....Jews, Muslims, vegetarians, Hindus, Buddhists,  vegans  and the health-conscious.
They would lose a lot of money.

[Apple]

Container should tell you if it needs refrigerated. Our regular grocery stores seem to have quit carrying it, so we get ours at the local Mexican market.

It's good in pie crusts and other things. My son uses it more than I do, so not sure what all he used the last container for.

[toomuchreality]

Aug 26, 2018 14:24:48 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Aug 26, 2018 4:54:20 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

I dislike french fries these days. Seems everyone has become so health-conscious, or maybe it is for another reason such as cost, they use oil now instead of fat or lard, so the fries have little taste (unless it is like cardboard). Yuck!

If chains still used lard, a lot of people wouldn't buy the fries....Jews, Muslims, vegetarians, Hindus, Buddhists,  vegans  and the health-conscious.
They would lose a lot of money.

I do know this. But it doesn't make me like the fries any better.  So I don't buy them.   (1 of me vs 1,000,000,000 of them)
I wish it saved me as much money as it makes them!  

[toomuchreality]

I used to have a neighbor (Hispanic) who rubbed lard on his legs, to keep them from looking dry. -It worked!

[mroped]

Most of the cooking when I was growing up was done with lard.
When butchering pigs(typically at Christmas time), all the belly fat and some of the trimmings were put in a big kettle and melted.
Then we would strain some clean lard for cooking, clean almost immaculate white and the rest of it was poured in jars on top of sausage or chunks of cooked pork.
The clean lard was kept in jars covered just with a simple lid.
Some people used horseradish leafs or grape leafs to cover the lard and then a lid on top.
We didn’t have refrigerators but the lard was just as good 6 months later as the day you put it in.

[Artemis Windsong]

I have heard the old pioneers used fat to cover the meat.  I don't know if the meat was cooked or raw.  Others canned the meat.

Electricity and refrigeration were heaven sent.

[Shooby]

Aug 26, 2018 13:30:04 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

This thread made me lard conscious. I saw it in Publix today. In a small type of packaging like butter. It was down from the Plugra butter is the only reason I saw it. 

Lard conscious.  LOL!!!!!!

[NoNamePerson]

Aug 27, 2018 6:00:37 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Aug 26, 2018 13:30:04 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

This thread made me lard conscious. I saw it in Publix today. In a small type of packaging like butter. It was down from the Plugra butter is the only reason I saw it. 

Lard conscious.  LOL!!!!!!

 It doesn't take much to distract me and a thread on lard did just that!!

[thyme4change]

Aug 26, 2018 18:51:50 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

Aug 26, 2018 14:24:48 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

If chains still used lard, a lot of people wouldn't buy the fries....Jews, Muslims, vegetarians, Hindus, Buddhists,  vegans  and the health-conscious.
They would lose a lot of money.

I do know this. But it doesn't make me like the fries any better.  So I don't buy them.   (1 of me vs 1,000,000,000 of them)
I wish it saved me as much money as it makes them!  

I appreciate the lack of taste in vegetable oil fried fries. It helps me not like that, therefore, not eat them, therefore, stay under 200 pounds. 😀

[bean29]

Aug 27, 2018 8:57:50 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Aug 26, 2018 18:51:50 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

I do know this. But it doesn't make me like the fries any better.  So I don't buy them.   (1 of me vs 1,000,000,000 of them)
I wish it saved me as much money as it makes them!  

I appreciate the lack of taste in vegetable oil fried fries. It helps me not like that, therefore, not eat them, therefore, stay under 200 pounds. 😀

I can't eat corn, and I have stopped eating French Fries that we don't cook at home. I have gotten sick after eating fries at restaurants one time too many. Corn oil can be heated to higher temps than canola oil, so I figure it is a safe bet that the restaurants are using corn oil.

DH made salsa last night and I couldn't resist chips and salsa. I was punished later for what I ate. I told him not to let me eat chips when we are in a restaurant.

[toomuchreality]

Aug 27, 2018 8:57:50 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Aug 26, 2018 18:51:50 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

I do know this. But it doesn't make me like the fries any better.  So I don't buy them.   (1 of me vs 1,000,000,000 of them)
I wish it saved me as much money as it makes them!  

I appreciate the lack of taste in vegetable oil fried fries. It helps me not like that, therefore, not eat them, therefore, stay under 200 pounds. 😀

😕  I dont like it, but that is a good point! 😃

[countrygirl2]

Certain types of oil makes me sick but not at home, but I have never cooked with corn oil that I know of so suppose it could be that.  Lard, canola, vegetable, and olive never bothered me.

[weltschmerz]

Fries cooked in duck fat are beyond delicious.

[kadee79]

I use lard for most of my frying.  I get it at Walmart in the cooking oil/shortening section.  It's not expensive at all & I never refrigerate it.  Lard shouldn't need to be refrigerated...it never was years ago.  And bacon grease is pretty much lard with a little bacon flavor.  If I want to keep some longer than normal, then I freeze it.
Pie crusts made with lard are more flaky & taste yummy!  I usually mix mine half/half with Crisco cause it can be hard to handle if it's all just lard.
I won't use canola or corn oils...too much "stuff" in them & nearly 100% of canola is GMO's & I think it's about 70-80% of corn.  If I need an oil where olive oil can't be used, I use sunflower oil....love it on my popcorn!

Just a little tidbit....someone found a tin of lard that had been stuck back some place, it was canned & had never been opened & was over 30 yrs. old...not refrigerated.  It was fine, still edible!