That is what I want to do right now; sing the praises of pork lard!

We all know that lard has gotten a bad rap, but now we are hearing otherwise.

We now know that it isn’t the lard itself that is the culprit, but it’s in how it is raised.

Lard that comes from pigs grown out on pasture doing what pigs do; rooting around for their food, has a more balanced nutrient content than pigs raised in confinement.

But why wouldn’t that make sense? We all feel better when we get sunshine and fresh air!

Guess what’s in lard that catches my attention the most?

It is Vitamin D! It seems that is something most of us lack in.

Now, Let’s turn this wonderful pig fat into lard where we can use it.

You will need;

Pig fat, (3-4 lbs.) You can order it here; a cutting board, a sharp knife and a crock pot.

Cut your pig fat into 1 inch blocks.
Throw these blocks into your crock pot.
Add about 3 inches of water and a Tablespoon of salt.
Turn your crock pot on low and bring to a low simmer. Give it a stir every now and then. It takes about 30 minutes per lb for it to properly cook out all of the water. I usually prop the lid where the steam can escape because that is the idea of the whole process; to cook out all water.
When the solids (cracklings) sink to the bottom that means your fat is ready to strain. Be very careful doing this! Hot fat burns your skin much faster than hot water! You can use a cheesecloth or old T shirt to do this. If you are putting it in a glass jar, make sure the jar is hot so it doesn’t break.
Allow the lard to cool. It should be a nice white or off white color.
I hope this helps you and if you have questions feel free to contact me.
Louise