Lard ......

lilbopeep

lilbopeep

🌹 Still trying to get it right.
... do you use it? There is so much debate over animal fat vs plant fat.

Mama made a post in the dinner thread about how good a pie crust it makes. I have seen people mention it over the years but have never tried it. My mom and aunts always used blue can Crisco. I now use a 50/50 mix of butter flavor Crisco and butter.

I saw a pound box of lard in the meat case at the Fairway and am wondering if I should try it.

Besides pie crust what else is it better for? Frying?

I would love to hear your opinions and recipes before I make a decision.


(I am really interested in Mama's pie crust recipe. Hint hint LOL)
 
Crisco has long been the "go to" - however since the transfat issue, the formulation has changed a a lot of baking geeks are not happy with it.

lard in a pie crust is imho the best tasting / texture option.
try it with the vodka twist.

oh, if the crust/dough gets too warm {for any reason}, chuck it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. the "outcome" of overheated dough with lard methinks is more impacted than for example the solid vegetable shortenings.

before you go whole hog on (any) specific lard (brand / source) - check the taste. leaf lard is recommended for a neutral taste; some "generic lard" can carry off-flavors.
 
About lard....it's like bacon butter....

I use it for baking biscuits and pie crusts. IMHO, lard is much better than shortening for both. Pie crusts are tender, flaky and have sort of a nutty smell. Biscuits made with White Lily flour and lard are like clouds they are so light.

It has a higher smoke point than shortening so when you use it for frying, you can fry at a higher temp so the food will absorb less grease.

Makes a 9" double crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups lard (You can also use 1/2 lard and 1/2 butter if you want)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
5 Tablespoons COLD water

Here's the directions

Give it a try Peepers. Once you try it though, you'll probably never go back to shortening.

 
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The brand I saw was Armour in a block. It looked like a lb of butter. It was on the top shelf so I couldn't reach it to examine the box LOL Are they in sticks like butter? And is that a good brand?
 
Yea....Peepers....that's not really what you want. That's a shelf stable lard. It's still better than shortening but if you can find it, you want to get leaf lard. It will be either in the refrigerator or freezer cases....oh, and make sure you get the rendered lard unless of course you want to render it yourself.

If you choose to get the shelf stable lard, when you open the box, you will find a 1 pound block of lard wrapped in waxed paper. It's been processed so that it doesn't have to be refrigerated. But, like I said, even that is better than shortening IMHO.

You can pretty much substitute lard for whatever you would use shortening in.
 
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Armour (sp?) has been whacked by some for off flavors . . . .

can't recommend a brand - our local butcher preps, grinds, renders and packs his own - it's what I use
 
Mama said:
Yea....Peepers....that's not really what you want. That's a shelf stable lard. It's still better than shortening but if you can find it, you want to get leaf lard. It will be either in the refrigerator or freezer cases....oh, and make sure you get the rendered lard unless of course you want to render it yourself.

If you choose to get the shelf stable lard, when you open the box, you will find a 1 pound block of lard wrapped in waxed paper. It's been processed so that it doesn't have to be refrigerated. But, like I said, even that is better than shortening IMHO.

You can pretty much substitute lard for whatever you would use shortening in.
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What brand do you use?
 
We have a local chain here called "Food Depot" which is where I usually get it. It comes from a local farm in a plain white container that just says "Rendered Leaf Lard" on it.
 
Mama said:
We have a local chain here called "Food Depot" which is where I usually get it. It comes from a local farm in a plain white container that just says "Rendered Leaf Lard" on it.
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What does "leaf" mean?
 
Leaf lard is the fat that surrounds the kidney. Lard is not nearly as bad as it's made out to be. Around here I see Mantica lard which has been processed to oblivion. You've inspired me Mama. I'll have to ask my meat man if he can get some for me. I make the worlds worst pie crust. It's hard as a rock. Too much handling I guess.
 
lilbopeep said:
... do you use it? There is so much debate over animal fat vs plant fat.

Mama made a post in the dinner thread about how good a pie crust it makes. I have seen people mention it over the years but have never tried it. My mom and aunts always used blue can Crisco. I now use a 50/50 mix of butter flavor Crisco and butter.

I saw a pound box of lard in the meat case at the Fairway and am wondering if I should try it.

Besides pie crust what else is it better for? Frying?

I would love to hear your opinions and recipes before I make a decision.


(I am really interested in Mama's pie crust recipe. Hint hint LOL)
Click to expand...



Shortening also makes good pie crust and biscuits, but it has transfats in it, so I'd say that the both of them are in the same boat.

They should only be used in moderation. I have a large can of shortening, but I keep it in the fridge to keep it from going stale. :weber:
 
One of our local markets, Albertson's, had their own brand of shortening which acts exactly like the old Crisco. I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting very tired of the food police.
 
Leni said:
Leaf lard is the fat that surrounds the kidney. Lard is not nearly as bad as it's made out to be. Around here I see Mantica lard which has been processed to oblivion. You've inspired me Mama. I'll have to ask my meat man if he can get some for me. I make the worlds worst pie crust. It's hard as a rock. Too much handling I guess.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm glad I could inspire somebody :lol:. You don't want to handle it any more than you have to and you may be using too much flour on your board when you are rolling it out.
 
Leni said:
One of our local markets, Albertson's, had their own brand of shortening which acts exactly like the old Crisco. I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting very tired of the food police.
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You and me both!:twak:
 
Leni said:
One of our local markets, Albertson's, had their own brand of shortening which acts exactly like the old Crisco. I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting very tired of the food police.
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Leni, trust me please, I'm not trying to be the food police if you're referring to me, but it IS a known fact that we all have to try to be careful.

The true food police are the docs, cardiologists and nutritionists. They practically lay down the law every time that I go see them.

If I don't try to follow their suggestions, they'll lecture me to the ends of the universe! :bonk:
 
No Shermie baby I wasn't referring to you. I was referring to people like that mayor of New York. They also told the bakers there that they can no longer use anything that contains transfats. Well guess what? That eliminated butter. If I want a butter cookie I should be able to get one.
 
Leni said:
I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting very tired of the food police.
Click to expand...

Mama said:
You and me both!:twak:
Click to expand...

Me three.

Sherman said:
The true food police are the docs, cardiologists and nutritionists. They practically lay down the law every time that I go see them.

If I don't try to follow their suggestions, they'll lecture me to the ends of the universe! :bonk:
Click to expand...

Willie Nelson says that there are more old drunks than old doctors. While I try to respect their advice, they do not live within my body, I live there. The no good , well wait a minute stance on eggs is but one example of them not having all the answers.

Leni said:
No Shermie baby I wasn't referring to you. I was referring to people like that mayor of New York. They also told the bakers there that they can no longer use anything that contains transfats. Well guess what? That eliminated butter. If I want a butter cookie I should be able to get one.
Click to expand...

Leni, I agree. Mr. Mayor needs to stick to running the city and stop running people's lives. While he may be right (Or Not) in his thinking he is stepping way beyond his authority.
 
Oh Yeah - Lard.

We have about five pounds of it around the house. It goes into soap as well. In the soap, makes it very creamy to use.

I have a pie in my future, I will try it in the crust. I never understood the bit about non refrigerated lard, now I do.
 
Leni said:
No Shermie baby I wasn't referring to you. I was referring to people like that mayor of New York. They also told the bakers there that they can no longer use anything that contains transfats. Well guess what? That eliminated butter. If I want a butter cookie I should be able to get one.
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Thanks.

Tranfats are also banned from being used in all restaurants here in Massachusetts as well.

But you're right, they are IDIOTS in New York!!!! They should know that butter has no transfats in it at all!!

ANYTHING made with butter, you should be able to get!! It's true that some of them DO take it to the extremes! What stark-raving idiocy!!! :furious:
 
Oh WOW! I just read this article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/07/dining/07tran.html?_r=0

In there that I read that Palm oil is being used instead of butter.

But then, Palm oil harvesting is killing off rain forrests and bringing Orangutans to extinction.

http://www.orangutans.com.au/Orangutans-Survival-Information/About-Palm-Oil.aspx

So, we are cutting our trans fast and making some wild life extinct and killing off the rain forests in the process. Does anyone ever think these things through?
 
PanchoHambre said:
I use it to season my cast iron pans

it is good for frying stuff too - like plantains or potatoes YUM
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Pancho. I never thought about doing that to help season my cast iron cookware, but shortening and oil also do a good job with that.

So getting lard just for that purpose would probably be a waste. But good thinking on your part though!! :bbq3:
 
Made with this recipe, brushed with heavy cream and sprinkled with raw sugar. I forgot the egg and vinegar in the recipe I posted earlier so I'll go back and fix it.
 

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Dag, that looks GOOD, Mama!! I'll be right down for a piece of it!!! Hah!! Looks like peach pie!!

You must have a wonderful man who LOVES your cooking!!! I know that I'd love it!!!
 
Thank you Shermie!

It is a peach pie and I do have a wonderful man who loves my cooking....as do my kids, the people where my DH works and the neighbors :lol:
 
Thought so!

How was I able to guess that so easily?!!

You could very easily be refered to as the Paula Deen of the South!! You and her truly seen to have that authentic Southern-style cooking!!
Do you have the recipe posted for the peach pie? I'd like to try it someday soon! maybe since spring is almost here, I will!! :piesmiley1:
 
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