How to Render Lard
Lard is made from 100% pork fat and is a great cooking oil substitute! Lard is the #2 best food-based source for Vitamin D, only trailing cod liver oil!
It is also heat stable, meaning that, when heated, it does not destabilize or decrease in its nutritional value, making it an amazing alternative to other cooking oils!
Recipe
Makes about 1 gallon of lard.
Ingredients:
- 4lbs of meatless "pig fat"
- 1 cup of clean water
Instructions:
- First things first: trim any blood spots or remaining meat from the lard that the processor missed into 1/2in cubes/chunks.
- Combine the chopped pieces and the water into a heavy stock pot and simmer, over a low heat (stir occasionally for 45 minutes).
- Within about 1 hour, all the the water will evaporate and the fat pieces will commence their melting, the cracklings (browned, little pieces of the fat) will raise to the top. Continue stirring, making sure to not let the melting fat "splatter."
- Once the browned cracklings sink to the bottom of the heavy pot, remove the pot from the heat.
- Pull out your pure, 100% cotton cheesecloth and strain the now-melting fat.
- Pick out the browned cracklings and store for another day (you can salt and eat as a snack!)
- Store the solution (melted fat) into cleaned Mason Jars and cool slowly. The final solution should appear milky-white when cool.
- Use your lard as a cooking oil!
- Enjoy
