How to store pork fat properly

Our grandmothers saw pork fat or lard (but also duck or goose fat) as an important food item that lasts forever. Well, back in those days, this precious type of fat was usually used up before it could go bad but the truth is that whether it lasted a few weeks or months, pork fat was used very often and quickly.

Today, we know that this type of fat is considered healthier in some respects than butter or various cooking oils.While lard contains around 60% of healthy fats, butter offers only 45% of them. And if you want to fry something, lard is the unbeatable champion. But you do not need to use it for cooking only. It is often used as a base for healing ointments and added to dough, as it makes the final product more elastic and tasty. Today, we shall tell you how to store this great product properly so, it lasts a long time.

How to store ordinary lard

A very few people make their own lard these days but in the old days, it used to be a typical procedure. Yes, we know it is rather a smelly procedure but uncured pork fat has a slightly shorter shelf life so, if you want a long-term storage you need to render the fat. If you want to store uncured pork fat, cut it into smaller pieces and store them in your freezer. Always take a clean spoon and get the amount of lard you need and put the rest in the refrigerator. Rendered lard should always be stored in airtight container. Try to use it within two months.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

How to properly render lard

First, you need to prepare the raw pork fat. At the end you will also have cracklings. How much fat can you get from a pork fat?Well, from about two kilos of lard you should get around 1.5 kilos of rendered lard. Store in a ceramic lard container or a glass.

A particularly important is straining . If lard still has proteins, it will tend to go bad. That is why you should always store rendered lard in the fridge, but our grandmothers stored it in a cold pantry or cellar. You may do the same but you need to use it quicker.

You may also freeze rendered lard, but be careful as lard tends to absorb surrounding smells, and if you did not use an airtight box, it may catch an unpleasant smell and you do not want that. High quality rendered lard comes handy and you may use it in many recipes as a healthier alternative to processed fats. Yes healthier.

Preview photo: Pixabay