It brings joy to cooking and baking​​​​.

[953 nut 62,839]

National Lard Day lights up kitchens and tables across the nation every December 8th. It’s a day that brings a once-shunned ingredient back into the spotlight.

People celebrate lard for its rich culinary history and its comeback as a healthier and more flavorful alternative to processed oils and fats.

The story of lard is a tale of rediscovery. For a long time, lard was the cooking fat of choice, celebrated for its ability to make food taste better, richer, and more delicious. However, it faced a decline in popularity with the rise of vegetable oils and other substitutes.

Whether frying, baking or spreading it on toast, lard enhances the taste and texture of food in a way that few other fats can. This day encourages us to explore lard’s culinary versatility and to share the joy it brings to cooking and baking. 

 

 

[WHX?? 53,157]

23 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

lard enhances the taste and texture of food

Especially in pie crusts ... 

[JoeM 9,171]

My mom always had a bowl of lard on the stove. 

 

We save bacon grease and use it to fry eggs, burgers and other meats. Works and tastes way better than pam. 

[WHX?? 53,157]

3 minutes ago, JoeM said:

We save bacon grease and use it to fry eggs,

Might explain why I got your figure Joe ... 

[JoeM 9,171]

1 minute ago, WHX?? said:

Might explain why

You would be surprised to know what I would trade for bacon. 

[lynnmor 8,186]

York County, PA is the snack food capital of the US.  We had Senfts potato chips that used lard giving them a distinctive taste, the plant went out of business in the 1970's, my thought is that folks objected to the lard. 

[8ntruck 8,294]

One of my great uncles was a butcher.  There was always a container of lard in their refrigerator. 

 

His popcorn was a family favorite.  Each batch started with a lump of lard, butter, and bacon grease.

[WHX?? 53,157]

The lard and bacon grease trick is the best for cast iron pan work. 

[SylvanLakeWH 29,715]

Had venison wrapped in bacon last night for dinner... yum!!!

 

Any edible derivative of pig is ok by me... 

 

[ri702bill 10,462]

Toss in some finely ground up Pig Hair into a lump of cold lard, mix it in and fry it up & you got yourself some Po-Boy Scrapple...

[Treepep 893]

 

 

Both of my folks parents were Farmers.    White butter biscuits at great grandma's were the best.with a pile of bacon and eggs fried in bacon grease or white butter.  Tasty! 

Edited 1 hour ago by Treepep
Mis typed

[Ed Kennell 43,619]

I stock pile the cheap fatty bacon when it is on sale for $1.99 a pound.  Then grind it with my venison 1/5.

[SylvanLakeWH 29,715]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

I stock pile the cheap fatty bacon when it is on sale for $1.99 a pound.  Then grind it with my venison 1/5.

Nothing to worry about at your age, but when you get older your cardiologist will no doubt talk with you about limiting your fat intake... 

 

[Ed Kennell 43,619]

LARD....Brings back  many fond memories of BUTCHER DAY.   

Watching Grandpa put down the 400 lb hogs with a single well placed 22 short from his little cat gun.

Riding piggy back  (yeah, that's me about 1946) as they were dragged from the pig pen to the big sugar maple butcher tree with a team of ponies.

  This large sugar tree offered a big limb to attach the rope fall.     Later it supplied enough sugar water to make a couple gallon of syrup.

Hoisting the hogs with a rope  fall and swinging them over the scalding barrels.  That's my Dad in the bibs with his back to the camera.

Removing the hair with hog scrapers.

Watching the blur of flashing blades  as Grampa sharpened the knives on the steel.

Pinning the pig tails on Grandmas apron strings while she was scrubbing the casings on a washboard.

Sampling smoky meat from the boiling puddin and scrapple kettle.

Blowing the stomachs up and tying the ends tight to make footballs.    Now worth 10-12 bucks each wrapped in plastic and sold as hog maws.

Cranking the press to squeeze the lard out into the 50 lb lard cans.    The remaining skin (cracklins) were put in a mesh onion sack and hung in the smoke house with the hams and bacon sides where they were snack food till they became rancid.  Then they were used for bait on my trap line.

 

A few of you geezers will understand this, but unfortunately most will never know...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ed Kennell 43,619]

43 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

 when you get older your cardiologist will no doubt talk with you about limiting your fat intake... 

 

Not a problem Jim.    My local drug pusher has me on a daily dose of lisinipril and simvistatin washed down with a shot of Sea Foam. 

[davem1111 2,247]

4 hours ago, lynnmor said:

York County, PA is the snack food capital of the US.  We had Senfts potato chips that used lard giving them a distinctive taste, the plant went out of business in the 1970's, my thought is that folks objected to the lard. 

 

Funny, don't know if you have Steak & Shake's out your way, but their ads/billboards show a young lady with their french fries saying "You had me at 'tallow'"  

[JoeM 9,171]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

A few of you geezers will understand this, but unfortunately most will never know...

I just laugh at some younger kids, they think meat comes from a super market!

 

I had hogs of my own but never butchered, ran them up on the hill to some Amish folks named Yoders.

I did help a friends dad do about a dozen each fall. When were done, his wife had taken some of the fresh meat, fried it up with taters.  You talk about fresh. 

[953 nut 62,839]

If the pig was considered to be a vegetable I could be a vegetarian. Pork is about the only meat I eat.

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

A few of you geezers will understand this, but unfortunately most will never know...

I resemble that remark.         

One of my uncles raised a couple of hogs each year and I remember my aunt rendering the fat and the tubs of lard kept in the dug-out underground food storage area we always referred to the Larder. Canned goods, apples, smoked meats and lard were kept in there. Year round temperature was about 50*.

[oldlineman 1,584]

yep the good old days, when life was simple and days lasted twice as long. sometimes I long for those times again.

[lynnmor 8,186]

3 hours ago, davem1111 said:

 

Funny, don't know if you have Steak & Shake's out your way, but their ads/billboards show a young lady with their french fries saying "You had me at 'tallow'"  

One time when I was out your way I went to an S&S and received the worst service ever.  I went to the manager and told him why I left no tip.

[davem1111 2,247]

Just now, lynnmor said:

One time when I was out your way I went to an S&S and received the worst service ever.  I went to the manager and told him why I left no tip.

 

Yeah, I've only eaten there once or twice and when I did I was disappointed at how long it took them to serve up a burger and fries.  They do however have great milkshakes and used to (not sure if they still do) have milkshake happy hour from 2-5 am and 2-5 pm for about half price.  I don't do that very often either or I'd have to keep buying bigger clothes.