| For the Love of Lard - Mangalitsa Leaf Lard for Perfect Pies |
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| Wednesday, 02 December 2009 00:00 |
Beautiful "leaf lard" which surrounds a pig's kidney, is the fat of choice for rendering lard. Prior to the invention of the heinous hydrogenated stuff, this is what people baked with. I know it still carries a stigma, but we are talking about a good fat, here. This excellent article by Regina Schrambling writing for Slate states (quoting Jennifer McLagan's groundbreaking book:) "...lard's fat is also mostly monounsaturated, which is healthier than saturated fat. And even the saturated fat in lard has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol." So, how do go from this hunk o' fat to something you can cut into your flour for a perfect pie crust? I used Lorraine's recipe and replaced the shortening called for with homemade leaf lard. Thanks again to Chef Jason Bond and his Mangalitsa named Tan. Itadakimasu, Tan! Picture this: a new feature on this blog, will take you through picture by picture, step by step, on a variety of topics. With gratitude for guidance from a Homesick Texan, here's your pictoral lesson in Leaf Lard Rendering.
Cutting the fat into chunks.
A good heavy cast iron pot works well for this. I love Staub!
Fat goes in, with water to cover.
Medium heat to let the fat begin to melt.
The water cooks off as the fat renders.
It begins to look like it's all melted.
Then lardons begin separate.
They sink to the bottom, and when they've all browned and sunk...
You have rendered fat with lardons you may use, eat or discard.
The chilled lard viewed from above.
Two pies. Tasty crusts with nice balance of flakiness and crumb.
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Mangalitsa Leaf Lard to Order
written by Heath Putnam , December 02, 2009
Yum!
written by Lisa Richards , December 19, 2009
That looks great. You can also stick it in the oven at 250 and stir every half hour our so. I get the whitest lard that way. I've also done it in my crockpot.
Pigs and Pies
written by Kimberly , January 07, 2010
Now I know what to do with that lard I have in the freezer from the two hogs I recently took to the butcher. I really enjoy my pork, but pie is the food of the gods and in my estimation any pie crust worth its salt is made with lard. (But then again I'm a native Oklahoman and grew up with a mom who cooked with the stuff.)
Thanks for visiting my website. Really like what you're doing here, and will return! Pax. Kimberly |
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Wooly Pigs is the only breeder of Mangalitsa pigs in the USA, and the dominant provider of Mangalitsa pork. Foods in Season distributes Wooly Pigs pork products across the USA.
You can call 866-767-2464 to order leaf lard, bacon and other products, or visit http://foodsinseason.com