Rendering Lard

Lard has less than half the cholesterol and about one-third less saturated fat than butter. DON'T use the lard from the grocery store!!!!! It's been hydrogenated and is excessively unhealthy. Find a butcher who will give, or sell lard to you. I prefer to find a butcher who works with 4-H hogs. They aren't allowed to have any growth hormones. I usually try to come home with a large garbage bag full of fat. After rendering, I have enough lard for the whole year. Fall is the best time to find 4-H pork fat. I render the lard until its just melted, then freeze it in a coffee can or wide mouth mason jar for ease of use. The pale lard is great for pie crusts and cookies. Render some of the lard longer to get a little color in it, and its perfect for tamales. Just think...you're doing something your ancestors did on a regular basis!...unless you're Jewish.

Rendering Lard
2 lbs pork fat (Scraps trimmed off roasts and chops will work...but not salt pork, ham, or bacon...the flavors are too strong.)

Cut the pork fat into 1" cubes. Spread it out in a deep baking dish and set in a 275 degree oven. Stir every once in a while as the fat renders into a clear liquid. Ladle off the liquid now if using for baked goods. Otherwise, continue to cook a total of about 2 hours. Letting the cracklings brown gives the lard a rich, roasted flavor. Let the lard cool to lukewarm, then strain. Store the lard in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for a month, or the freezer. Makes 1 3/4 cups