What Is Lard and How Can You Use It in Your Cooking?

Lard may not be something you think of in today's kitchens. For many, it feels like a thing of the past—and often an unhealthy one at that. However, lard is making a comeback, with more chefs opting for it over vegetable shortening or butter. It’s time to rethink lard and explore the variety of ways it can be used.

What Is Lard Made From?

Lard is pure animal fat, typically sourced from pork, that is separated from the meat. The process of rendering involves slowly cooking fatty cuts of the pig (like the belly, shoulder, or butt) until the fat melts away. Once cooled, the fat solidifies into a creamy, opaque substance that may retain a mild pork flavor, depending on the rendering method used.

Lard vs. Butter vs. Shortening: A Comparison

So how does lard compare to other fats in the kitchen? For centuries, lard was the top choice for cooking. However, when vegetable shortening was introduced in the early 1900s, it quickly replaced lard as the go-to fat.

Vegetable shortening is made from vegetable oils like soybean, cottonseed, or palm oil. It's still widely used today because it’s affordable and has a long shelf life. Though both lard and shortening can be used for similar tasks, like greasing pans or making delicate, flaky pie crusts, shortening continues to dominate.

On the other hand, butter is a fat made by churning cream until it becomes solid. While butter is a favorite among many bakers, some are turning to lard because of its lower melting point. This allows more steam to escape during baking, creating a lighter, flakier pastry.

Different Types of Lard

While all lard comes from pig fat, the specific type depends on which part of the pig it comes from and how it’s processed. Not all lard is the same, and how it’s made can affect its flavor and quality.

Unrendered Lard

Not all lard undergoes rendering. Unrendered lard is simply raw pig fat that’s been cut away from the meat without being melted or filtered. This type retains a strong pork flavor, making it unsuitable for baking or dishes where you don't want a pronounced pork taste.

Rendered Lard

Rendered lard is more commonly used because it lacks the strong pork flavor of unrendered lard. It’s made from pure pork fat that’s melted, filtered, and then cooled.

Processed Lard

Processed lard is the most widely used type since it doesn’t carry the distinctive pork flavor. It’s created by melting, filtering, and clarifying pork fat. The clarification process involves bleaching and hydrogenating the fat, which helps neutralize the pork taste and ensures the lard remains solid at room temperature.

Leaf Lard

Leaf lard is the most premium variety, prized for its smooth, creamy texture. It comes from the fat surrounding the kidneys and abdomen, and its delicate, mild flavor makes it ideal for baking. Unlike other lards, it has no porky taste, which is why it's often favored for pastries.

Is Lard Unhealthy?

Since the invention of vegetable shortening in the early 1900s, lard has been cast as the villain in the health food debate. But recently, opinions on lard have started to shift.

Not long ago, lard was a staple in nearly every American kitchen. By the late 20th century, however, it became notorious as an unhealthy fat due to its high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol. McDonald's famously used beef tallow to fry its potatoes until 1990, when it switched to vegetable oil, following a movement led by Phil Sokolof, who had a heart attack in 1966 and campaigned against the dangers of fats in fast food.

Despite its controversial past, many chefs are now turning back to lard, favoring it over vegetable shortening and butter. Lard contains less trans fat than shortening and less saturated fat than butter. Still, it is a fat, and like all fats, it should be used sparingly in your cooking.

Where Can You Buy Lard?

Processed, shelf-stable lard is easy to find in most grocery stores, especially in the international or Hispanic food aisles, where it’s more commonly used. Well-known brands include Armour Lard and Rendering's for leaf lard. For fresh, rendered lard, your best bet is to visit a local butcher, where you can buy either rendered lard or raw fat to render at home.

How to Make Your Own Lard

Making your own lard is surprisingly simple, though it does require some time and patience.

What You'll Need

• Cold leaf lard or back fat
• ¼ cup water
• A slow cooker or a large pot
• Colander
• Cheesecloth
• Storage container

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Begin by cutting your leaf lard or back fat into small chunks.
2. Pour ¼ cup of water into the bottom of a slow cooker or large pot. Add the fat on top.
3. Set the slow cooker to low heat, or heat the pot on low on the stove.
4. Let it cook for about 1 ½ to 2 hours, checking regularly to ensure the fat doesn't burn. When the fat begins to melt and the cracklings (crispy bits of pork rind) settle at the bottom, it’s done.
5. Strain out the cracklings, then strain the fat through cheesecloth three more times to remove any remaining impurities.
6. Transfer the melted lard into a glass jar or any suitable storage container. Allow it to cool and solidify at room temperature. Once firm, store it in the fridge, where it will last for six months to a year.

When to Use Lard

Lard, like butter or shortening, is a versatile cooking fat. It can be used for baking, sautéing, grilling, or frying. If you want to avoid the distinct pork flavor, make sure to use rendered leaf lard or processed lard.

Try using lard in a cast-iron skillet for deep-frying chicken or fries. Substitute it for butter, or blend both to achieve flaky pie crusts and biscuits. You can also brush it onto chicken during the final stages of cooking to get a golden, crispy skin.

Lard Alternatives

Unsurprisingly, shortening is the closest match to lard as a substitute, since it’s also made entirely from fat. Use it in a 1:1 ratio when replacing lard with shortening.

Butter is the next best option in terms of fat content, coming in just behind lard and shortening. To substitute for ½ cup of lard, use ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of butter. Alternatively, you can swap 1 cup of olive oil for every cup of lard.