Lard

[Guest guest]

We render about 40-50 gallons worth a year. As someone said, cut the fat up

into small pieces or you could grind it (which is what we do).

If this is your first time, I would put a small amount of water in the bottom

of a thick bottomed pot then add the fat. You should keep it at a slow

bubble, not a roaring boil. You'll know you are done when the cracklings

begin to brown and have sunk to the bottom. At this point I get a strainer of

some sort and line it with cheesecloth. Pour the lard through it to be sure

to get only lard, no cracklings.

We have a five-gallon bucket sitting in the kitchen all the time (go through

2-3 of them in a year) and the only time we render is during butchering

season (Oct-Mar). As you can see keeping is not a problem, we've never

refigerated lard. Fact is, folks used to store their meat in lard to keep it

through the year.

Using lard is simple, just scoop it out of the bucket and go. I've used it in

bread recipes when butter or shortening is called for, we fry eggs in it, we

use it for deep frying and when my hands are really, really dry I use it for

a moisturizer!

Just another lard fan,

Belinda

LaBelle Acres