Lard

[DoctorShavegood]

[FONT=&amp]Why did this fat leave our supermarkets? Why was it branded an unhealthy fat? Should we re-think (and research) which fats are better for us?

I've done some research and here's is MHO:

My kitchen is now devoid of any industrial chemically processed cooking oils which include the likes of vegetable, peanut, canola (aka Canadian Oil, Low Acid)) , grapeseed, sunflower, etc. I've replaced them with olive oil, avocado oil, virgin unrefined coconut oil and butter. Soon lard will be in my kitchen mainly for frying (which I rarely do). But it would be nice to use it for stir-fry's when high heat is needed and not use peanut oil. In my research I've discovered that many of the highly processed oil's mentioned above have high amounts of omega 6 fat's. Omega 6 fat's in of themselves is not bad, but too much and too frequently eaten and not balanced with omega 3's leads to cardiovascular problems. Canola oil is made with a highly unnatural processing method that involves high heat, deodorization and the toxic solvent hexane. Significant amounts of trans fats are formed during this process.

In the past saturated fats like lard were considered completely unhealthy. Recent studies have shown that it really has nothing to do with heart disease. A low fat and cholesterol diet is now being questioned.

Check out these articles:

[/FONT]https://authoritynutrition.com/canola-oil-good-or-bad/

http://empoweredsustenance.com/lard-is-healthy/


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Spoiler

 

[ouch]

Manteca!

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Manteca!

Exactly. But be careful when choosing lard. Some contain hydrogenated lard.

 

[dionesius3]

I switched to Lard some five years ago, and as a result my blood pressure and cholesterol numbers have both gone down BY 40%. The Doctor no longer suggest I start taking blood pressure and cholesterol medicine at each visit like he once did.
By the way Real butter also needs to be a part of your change over as well. Margarine in all its forms are just as problematic as the oils. Also if you can get them, fresh eggs from home raised chickens are way better for you.

When making the change from modern oils to traditional please be aware that you will need to make the change gradually. Unless you want to hate the taste of the Lards. It takes the body time to adjust to processing these natural fats in place of the processed oils. You may want to start with just trying to switch one thing at a time. I started with home made french fries and cooked those in lard rather than corn oil. Then I started making popcorn with lards, then frying eggs, then cakes, etc.

There still is a place for some processed oils in my kitchen, like coconut oils for some baked and fried foods. Extra virgin Olive oils for pan fried fish and veal. Etc. But for most of my cooking now Lard and real butter are the only way to go.
Armour company still makes and sells lard. And it is about the best on the market. If you have a local butchers shop you can likely get fat to render yourself for free or for very little money. And the rendering process is fairly easy if you look it up online.
Beef Tallow is a step above Lard as a natural cooking oil. It tastes better performs better and lasts longer as a deep fry oil. But it tends to cost a bit more than Lard and is likely not available at very many places at all.

 

[ouch]

Exactly. But be careful when choosing lard. Some contain hydrogenated lard.

Mine contains oxygenated lard.

 

[davent]

Check out this cookbook Aaron.

Fat by Jennifer McLagan

We initially borrowed it from the library then purchased.

Chapter 2, pork fat: THE KING

Her other books Bones, & Bitter are equally enjoyable.

https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Appreciation-Misunderstood-Ingredient-Recipes/dp/1580089356

My wife has always used lard or butter for the pies she bakes. Tenderflake Lard has always been available up here during my lifetime as far as i know.

dave

 

[TexLaw]

I don't have a problem finding it around here, but I do know it's not in all the stores, anymore.

The main answer as to why it isn't in stores is simple: people stopped buying it. No one told any stores to stop carrying it. It's a large product with a limited shelf life and a low profit margin (even for a supermarket). A 64 oz. tub of lard runs about $5 around here. The same shelf space could be stocked with bottles of "gourmet" oils that will run you $1 or more per ounce. If folks ain't buying it, they ain't gonna sell it for long.

I do agree that it was a bunch of BS press and pseudo-medicine that led to lot of people turning away from it. It didn't help that "lard" because virtually synonymous with gross obesity, too. That's before you even get into the socioeconomic connotations that lard took on when everyone started going bananas for olive oil.

It does seem that lard is making a comeback, though.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

It does seem that lard is making a comeback, though.

Picked this up at lunch over at Whole Foods for $6.99. Last one on the shelf

 

[dionesius3]

Exactly. But be careful when choosing lard. Some contain hydrogenated lard.

All Lard sold is partially hydrogenated. It keeps the stuff from going rancid. Pure non hydrogenated lard would only have a shelf life of a few days to perhaps a week before rancidity begins. BHT is the additive that all Lard sold in stores have. It acts to partially hydrogenate and to protect the fats from oxidation due to exposure to air. Oxygen is the enemy of natural fats, it acts to break them down into some rather nasty chemicals that not only stink but will kill you if you consume them. Vitamin E will also work in the same way but you run a small risk of getting vitamin E overdose. Citric Acid does a pretty good job of protecting Lard from oxidation, but it also acts to break down the fats in the Lard as well. So in order to sell Lard it must either be refrigerated, or partially hydrogenated and treated, or it must be fully hydrogenated.
Fully hydrogenated Lard is sold to restaurants by large food service companies and to food manufacturers. But rarely sold to consumers. It is a hard brick like block that needs no refrigeration and has a very long shelf life. It is mainly used for deep frying, and pan frying in larger restaurants.

 

[Rory1262]

Manteca!

It always amused me that mantequilla -- "the little lard" -- became the Spanish word for butter.

I think flavor may also have had something to do with why lard fell out of favor. People wanted a more neutral taste, not necessarily something porky.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Check out this cookbook Aaron.

Fat by Jennifer McLagan

We initially borrowed it from the library then purchased.

Chapter 2, pork fat: THE KING

Her other books Bones, & Bitter are equally enjoyable.

https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Appreciation-Misunderstood-Ingredient-Recipes/dp/1580089356

My wife has always used lard or butter for the pies she bakes. Tenderflake Lard has always been available up here during my lifetime as far as i know.


dave

Looks like a great book.

 

[ouch]

I believe that Jim covers all aspects of this wonderful product in his soon to be released opus, Lard Nation.

 

[TexLaw]

Picked this up at lunch over at Whole Foods for $6.99. Last one on the shelf

For $7, that lard better be as "Epic" as advertised.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

For $7, that lard better be as "Epic" as advertised.

Here's other's:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=lard

 

[dionesius3]

It always amused me that mantequilla -- "the little lard" -- became the Spanish word for butter.

I think flavor may also have had something to do with why lard fell out of favor. People wanted a more neutral taste, not necessarily something porky.

If your Lard tastes Porky then your Lard is not a good quality! It shouldn't smell or taste like anything except oil. If rendered by "wet" process Lard tends to retain some of the Pork smell and taste. But when "dry" rendered it really has no smell or taste other than that of oil.

 

[Ad Astra]

N'yo! Can't make real Cuban bread without manteca!


AA

 

[BSAGuy]

Lard is not acceptable to the PC food police.

 

[davent]

For $7, that lard better be as "Epic" as advertised.

For an all too short time there was butcher at the market i go to that had Berkshire Pork and it was epic, best tasting/looking pork i've ever cooked!

dave

 

[Rory1262]

If your Lard tastes Porky then your Lard is not a good quality! It shouldn't smell or taste like anything except oil. If rendered by "wet" process Lard tends to retain some of the Pork smell and taste. But when "dry" rendered it really has no smell or taste other than that of oil.

Live and learn! Thanks for that. I remember once having greens, getting the porky flavor, and being informed that they'd been cooked in lard. I was just judging from that one instance.

 

[TexLaw]

Live and learn! Thanks for that. I remember once having greens, getting the porky flavor, and being informed that they'd been cooked in lard. I was just judging from that one instance.

It wouldn't surprise if me if they also had salt pork in them (or if the person just wanted to say "lard" instead of "salt pork" because they didn't want to explain salt pork (or they wanted to keep their secret)).