Monday, April 6, 2009

Lard Is Back!


Yesterday we had real sugar--today we have real fat. Thanks to Fiedler Farms, purveyors of fine grass-fed, chemical-free pork, lamb and beef, I have real honest-to-goodness lard! Back in the day we always cooked with lard until Wesson and margarine took over. Still, biscuits were always made with lard. Other than the yellow and white bucket on the bottom shelf of the oils in the grocery, I don't think I've even seen lard in years.
Apparently, while the rest of us were trying to low-fat ourselves to death, lard has been making a stealthy, slow comeback. Real unhydrogenized lard has no trans fats. Grocery store lard has them, as do corn oil and most other oils. Olive and coconut oils are exceptions. Originally oil along with many other foodstuffs were and continue to be hydrogenized to extend the shelf life. Made to last until only the cockroaches are still around to use it.
I paid two bucks per pound for 4 lbs of this creamy, rich, melty goodness. I then immediately made a batch of beef stew just so I could fry cornbread in some lard to go with it. And it was good. I mean real good. It had that crispy texture that is perfection and the lightness that goes with cooking in something that doesn't impart a heavy flavor, just an airy taste that is hard to describe. I'm going to make some biscuits soon just to watch them rise and get fluffy and get that slight crunchiness that makes them perfect. Then I'm going to make a pie crust and make fried apple pies and use lard in the crust and then fry them in lard hoping to recreate a taste that has eluded me since I was about 10 years old. And then I'm going to have to live on my Healthrider.

3 comments:

Robynn's Ravings said...

We are truly joined at the lip! We started using lard again (the good kind - not that Manteca c-rap you find in the store). I ordered it online and LOVE it. Tacos will never be the same. But my supplier is out and I'm down to a paltry amount! WHERE OH WHERE did you get yours and can you give me an online connection? My supplier is backordered for quite awhile. And it has to be from healthy animals, as you describe above. Oh - I LOVE you!

Frugal Maven said...

Thanks Robynn! We are joined at the lip! I picked up my lard at the local farmer's market and I'm not sure if they ship but the # is 1-812-836-4348. They are in Indiana and they made some good lard!

Treehouse Chef said...

I have never purchased real lard. I use Crisco and I have my bacon grease jar does that mean I now need to go out and purchase this to make good tastin food?

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