To Try Out Lard
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the lard
Skin the leaf lard carefully.
Cut the lard into small pieces.
Put the lard into a kettle or saucepan.
Pour in the water to prevent burning.
Render
Set the lard over the fire to melt slowly.
Stir frequently.
Let it simmer until only brown scraps remain.
Remove the scraps with a perforated skimmer.
Add a little salt to settle the fat.
Watch the lard constantly.
Stir from the bottom until the salt is added.
Return it to the heat until clear, avoiding scorching.
Strain and store
When clear, strain through a coarse cloth into jars.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Leaf lard
- Provides the fat that melts into the finished rendered lard.
- Water
- Added at the start to prevent the lard from burning while it melts.
The step that matters
Returning the lard to heat until clear. Overheating after the scraps are removed can scorch the fat, leaving it brown and off-flavored. Gentle heat keeps the rendered fat clean and clear.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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