What do you think of when you hear the word “lard?” Perhaps a fat- and calorie-laden cooking fat, which is just a heart attack waiting to happen?
In this age of trans fat-awareness, saturated vs. unsaturated fats and the almighty olive oil, it’s hard to be believe that lard – that’s right, lard – is making a comeback. Some facts: Lard contains 40 percent saturated fat (compared with almost 60 percent for butter); and its level of monounsaturated fat (the "good" fat) is 45 percent (compared with 23 percent for butter). The enhanced flavor it provides in cooking and the benefits it affords bakers are making it a popular alternative to butter and vegetable shortening.
Jennifer Small and her husband, Michael Yezzi, operate the Flying Pigs Farm (Shushan, New York) where they raise three rare heritage breeds of pigs: Gloucestershire Old Spots, Large Blacks, and Tamworths.
Jennifer outlines of the history of lard – its importance and how its use fell out of favor, techniques to render it, and which parts of the pig make the best fat for cooking and baking.
The high-quality leaf lard commonly used for baking is available on the Flying Pigs Farm website.
Muic Break -- Ko-Ko -- Bill Doggett