Recipe: LARD!

To end my meat-only fortnight with a bang, I scored some free organic pork fat from the local butcher, and tried my hand at rendering lard. Superb fun, too easy!

Ingredients:

Minced or diced pork fat

Method:

1. Place fat in a large pan, and add enough cold water to cover fat. Bring to the boil.


2. Simmer fat for a long period of time, watching constantly, stirring every ten minutes, while fat dissolves and cracklings start to form.


3. Once fat has all dissolved,pour rendered lard into a warmed receptacle, using a strainer to collect the cracklings. Definition of adequately rendered lard = so pure and refined that you can see your reflection in it:


Don't dump the cracklings - they're great sprinkled on salads (faux-croutons), or anywhere breadcrumbs would 'traditionally' be used.


4. I keep my lard in a glass jar, in the fridge. I know it would keep quite happily outside of the fridge, but it's just easier this way. Any remaining impurities sink to the bottom while the lard cools, leaving you with the purest lard right until the last few spoonfuls!


I'm using lard for EVERYTHING! Delicious! I'm still using coconut oil for sautéeing veggies, particularly cabbage, but there's absolutely nothing better for cooking animal products!