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Farm Kitchen:  Lard  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 07 2009 : 09:14:06 AM
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Just had to ask if anyone else uses lard to cook with. Well really to make crusts and biscuits and things like that.
We just had some hogs butchered and I got all the fat. I rendered some the other day and used it to make the crust for my turkey pot pie and a quiche. It turns out very flaky and soft.
Just wanted to know how ya'll feel about lard and if anyone uses it too. Or if anyone renders it like I do. I have heard it's better to use lard than the veg shortenings that are out these days. And since I raised my own pigs, I know what's in them. But Sally Fallon talks about how much better lard is in her book Nourishing Traditions.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2009 : 09:30:40 AM
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I would prefer lard over some factory/chemically processed hydrogenated who-knows-what-it-really-is shortening ANY DAY!
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2009 : 09:33:56 AM
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I render our fat from our hogs all the time. I've also rendered the tallow from our beef. I agree the lard makes the best crusts etc. I also agree with Julie, at least I know what is in our lard. I render my lard out, and I can it in clean, sterilized canning jars and lids and store in in the cool cellar. Keeps a long time. Makes you feel very self sufficient!!!!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2009 : 10:26:16 AM
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I totally agree with you both. I just didn't know if anyone still did this.
Teresa Sue, can you tell me the canning process? I just do a little at a time, but would like to have more space in my freezer.
Thanks, Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2009 : 11:54:26 AM
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It's quite easy Kristin. First I wash my fats under cold water and trim any ickies off of it. Then I grind the fats in my meat grinder, you don't have to do that but I've found that it renders out much quicker if you do. Then I render the fats into lard, just like usual. While the lard is rendering I wash and sterilize my quart jars, lids, and rings. I do put the sterilized jars on a jelly roll sheet, lined with an old towel so the jar will be dry inside. I put them in a very, VERY LOW, LOW, the lowest temp possible, just barely on, oven to keep my jars warm. You could also accomplish this with a automatic dishwasher if you have one, I don't, so I've learned to improvise. Once the lard is rendered out I ladle it into the warm jars. CAREFULLY!!! You do not want to put hot lard into a cold jar, disaster will happen!!!!!! Try really hard not to get liquid lard on your jar rim. I use a canning funnel and that helps. But I always keep a clean dry cloth to wipe the rim before I apply the lid. If I do have lard to wipe off the rim of a jar, I use a new clean cloth for the next jar. I keep my new, clean, canning lids in warm water, shake of any excess water and apply the lid and ring to the full jar of liquid lard. The lard is hot enough to seal the lid. That lard is so hot it is almost sterilization in itself, lol. I then keep filling jars until I get down to the bits and pieces of crispies. I don't like those in my canned lard as they aren't nice in a pie crust, lol. I usually put a colendar over another pot, line the colendar with several layers of cheesecloth or an old clean porus towel and pour the remaining lard, etc into it and let it drip through. That lard I put into the fridge and use it first. The canned lard I've kept for five years and it has never gone rancid. It is stored in a cool, dark basement and after I open a jar I always put it into the fridge. As long as you pay attention to the details and make sure everything is clean, clean, clean you should be okay. Hope I explained it okay. I know back in the day they used to render lard out and just put it in lidded, tinned cans, which, I believe you can still buy through Lehmans. Just let me know if you have any questions. Hope I've helped.
P.S. Also I'm sure you know, be very careful!!! Hot lard is dangerous and can burn you!!!!! No children or pets allowed underfoot on lard rendering day at my house!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
Edited by - Contrary Wife on Feb 07 2009 11:58:21 AM |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2009 : 1:33:07 PM
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Thank you for the great directions, Teresa Sue. I will be doing that soon. I have plenty of jars as we have been eating alot lately. I'm going to print this off so I'll have it when I'm ready.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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farm~maid
True Blue Farmgirl
176 Posts
Christine
IN
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2009 : 2:29:12 PM
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We use lard here, too. I've always baked with it. I agree, it makes the best pie crust and biscuits. I urge you to try sugar cookies using part lard. They sure are good.
I've never rendered it. Reading Teresa Sue's instructions sure makes it sound like I could do it. Our butcher does it for minimal costs so we've always had it done.
Our lard is stored in the refrigerator. I wonder if I could melt it down and proceed with the canned method. I'm always looking to free space in the refrigerators and freezers. |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4188 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4188 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2009 : 03:51:46 AM
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I render my own as well. I use it for pie crusts, and for soap. Also did my beef tallow, for soap as well. Our butcher grinds it up for 25 cents a pound. well worth the price.
Michele |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2009 : 1:47:27 PM
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It's not hard to render down. There is a reason it used to be rendered down outside tho, lol. It has it's own smell, lol. Just be sure not to try and render down too much at one time, if you have too big a pot of it, it takes too long to render it and the pot gets too hot, dangerous fire wise if you know what I mean.
Christine, I don't see why you couldn't can your already rendered lard. Just do it to a portion of it, and then use that and if the quality isn't compromised do all of it. I would think it would be fine tho.
I'll have to try that on sugar cookies, I've always used butter, but lard is cheaper, so I'll give it a try, thanks!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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farm~maid
True Blue Farmgirl
176 Posts
Christine
IN
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2009 : 10:19:22 AM
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Teresa Sue, thanks for the tips on preserving the lard. I have my grandsons here today and tomorrow, so hopefully I can give it a try later in the week.
Christine |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2009 : 11:14:12 AM
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Great! Glad to help y'all out :^)
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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marcy jo
True Blue Farmgirl
453 Posts
Marcy
Wawaka
Indiana
USA
453 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 09:26:58 AM
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Thanks TS!! I had read about doing this awhile back and it seemed so hard!! Guess its not!! I will be ready now when we do get to that point!!!
Marcy #257
http://marcyjosmarket.blogspot.com |
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StitchinWitch
True Blue Farmgirl
2261 Posts
Judith
Galt
CA
USA
2261 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 09:56:05 AM
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We used to render lard from our pigs when they were butchered. It makes the absolutely best piecrust, good biscuits, and I even made cookies with it. I wasn't crazy about the cookies but the kids ate them. I've also made soap with lard and tallow; tallow makes a harder soap but they both work.
Judith
Happiness is Homemade |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 10:05:19 AM
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Teresa Sue - do you ever have extra lard? I don't really trust the stuff you would buy at the store and so far nobody is doing organic lard:) We are a few years off from ever doing our own, not sure if we will end up with pigs, so if you ever want to share I would definitely share my labor....
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" |
Edited by - graciegreeneyes on Feb 11 2009 10:05:53 AM |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 10:32:52 AM
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I made biscuits the other noght and they were so flaky and soft. Good thing I only made 4. I think I may have to go on a fast soon.
AG, I'd share some of mine if you lived closer.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 10:49:17 AM
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Kristin,
If I'm ever in Georgia I will stop by and take you up on that:)
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" |
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milkmaid
True Blue Farmgirl
187 Posts
Heather
Higginsville
Missouri
USA
187 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 2:13:49 PM
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Home made lard is awesome stuff I love to use it. I only use lard and home made butter for the oils and fats in recipes.. it seems any of the oils from the store are creepy.. lots of GMO's and stuff. I'll stick with the real thing.
http://goodfarm.blogspot.com/
Mother to five awesome kids, wife of 17 years and milk maid to two beautiful cows. Living the good life!!! |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 3:26:12 PM
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I have been getting Jersey milk from a friend while I wait on my goats to kid. I bet at least 1/4 is cream. I've been taking as much as I can off the top and I was going to make butter. I had a qt. so far. But I used about half of it in a recipe with pears. It was so good!
I agree with you, Heather. Who knows what is in the oils out there. I only use real butter. People think I'm crazy, but oh well. I refuse to get the fake stuff.
And Amy grace, come on over!
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2009 : 5:01:09 PM
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LOL! I tell my grandchildren that real food is for real people, not imitation!LOL
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Farm Kitchen: Lard |
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Lard
