Farm Kitchen Basics: Rendering Lard

Now there are many benefits to keeping a pig (or three), although some may surprise you. Besides all that bacon and pork chops, there’s the land that they clear and pies. Yes, don’t forget about the pies—they’re the Farmer’s Wife’s Fa-vor-ite.

You see, most of the year she makes her pies and cookies with plain ol’ butter, which is just fine. Unless she can get her hands on some Lard. Then they’re amazing. And not just any lard will do. No, it has to be her lard, made her way. And this is how it’s done.

The large slab of fat around the innards is chopped and set into a large cast-iron skillet and the heat is turned low. Very slowly it is stirred with a wooden spoon. Yes, it has to be wooden, and yes to your previous question, it most definitely has to be a cast iron skillet.

Time slowly moves along, and as it does, the fat gives way, just as slowly as that time. The fat begins to melt, shrinking what’s left of the solids smaller and smaller, until after several hours and minutes, they’re like little rafts floating in a sea of deliciousness. Now, I know you may be tempted to throw those rafts out. Don’t you do it! Those are what some old timers called cracklins’, and they’re as wonderful as the Lard itself. Skim them off and try a bite. Or save them for later. Or both. It’s your kitchen, you can decide that for yourself. Now, the Farmer’s Wife nibbles at a few, but the rest are set aside to cool. Now don’t you worry. You’ll be sure to see them again. They’ll make their way into a cookie or pan of baked beans later this summer.

As for the rest, and by the rest I mean that piping-hot pan full of liquid pork fat, that’s taken off the heat and left to cool for just a bit. When it’s just hot to the touch, but not getting solid yet, it’s poured into glass jars and topped, and set in the fridge.

Now. It’s time to make those pies. (Come back next week for one or three.)