How to make lard

Lard had been around forever. Most here can recall their Grandmother or mother cooking with lard.
During the 19th century lard was important to cooking plus some use it as a spread like butter. Then shortening/Crisco was developed and usage of lard was discouraged. Times have changed, once again lard is acceptable. Articles are now declaring that lard is healthy. Lard is the second highest food source of vitamin D, after cod liver oil. One tablespoon of lard contains 1,000 IU’s of vitamin D. Lard is ranked #18 in foods richest in healthy cholesterol

Making Lard at Home Recipe - Hungry Again

Here is another good article on lard. Lard is Healthy: 10 Reasons to Bring Lard Back

 

I have around 40 pounds of pork fat in the freezer that I keep meaning to render. My grandmother made the most unreal pie crusts ever and she always used lard, never ever Crisco.

And I want to try making this
Lardo, or Italian Cured Pork Fat

 

@ditch witch the pork cracklins that you get after renderings, aren't those like pork rinds?

 

Pork rinds are the skin, cracklings are the fat. To make pork rinds you want to get as much of the fat off of the skin as possible.

 

Do the cracklings have any further use?

 

You can eat them like pork rinds, that is what google pulled up but 1/2-cup serving contains 262 calories. I probably wouldn't eat many.

 

You can crumble them and put them on your salad instead of croutons

 

they are a great garnish for baked potato's, salads, etc...

 

The key to good cracklings is to cook them plenty long, don't get them too hot (can get burn flavor) then while hot, press them really well in a lard press to thoroughly extract the lard. Spread on paper to cool. As noted they make a great garnish, crumbled can be used as breading for other foods, eat like potato chips if you want and they make about the best dog treat there is.

AT

 

Currently three dogs here, so I'm sure they would not go to waste.....

 

@Airtime from you post it make me think you have made lard. If so, any tips for some of us that will be trying this? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I have been canning lard for many years. Just render it and can, no refrigeration necessary and ready to use. It will last for years and 1/2 pint jars are a convenient size.

 

Can you buy lard at the store and re-package it... since I'm not in the hog business?

 

It would appear that this and the smoke house projects have just pushed themselves to the forefront of my honeydo list. The last few days I have been fabricating beams, trusses, and support posts for a garage/shop for a friend of a friend. During conversations with the gent I've found that he and his family are very like minded. I suspected as much after seeing his place. Anyways, His good friend asked if he would take on the "chore" of hunting down and killing every wild hog on the hunting club property that this guy manages.. I was asked if I had the time to help...

"Well, I guess I could help ya out some."
So, as soon as spring turkey season is over I get to share several hundred acres of hog infested land to hunt/trap on! Needless to say I will be trying out the rendering processes from above along with @ditch witch's bacon recipes.

 

According to the article above you can, but it can be hard to find.

 

Let me know if you want to bring one up here and try out my rotisserie pig roaster built it a year or two ago, and haven't found a wild pig yet to test it out.

 

Not trying to put the roaster ahead of the pig, but we should seriously be able to figure out how to get one shipped up there. I mean I ship seafood to some friends across the country every year

 

@Airtime do you have a press? I've done a search and can't find much on them. I found the patent for one and a copy of the drawing, but no picture of a real one. If need be I can WAG on size and try fabing one. Someone having a press that could take measurements for me would save some time and effort and I'd gladly pay for the service