Reusing lard

Readers Question: Any suggestions to reuse the lard from cooking belly or bacon?

Lard is the pork fat in both its rendered and un-rendered forms. It's just as versatile as any other cooking fat and can be used for roasting, grilling, frying and baking.

Lard is commonly used in many cuisines to cook a wide variety of food such as:

  • Fried chicken - lard is ideal for frying because of its high smoke point.
  • Pie crust - many bakers attest that lard produces the flakiest crust.
  • Biscuits - use lard for flaky, defined layers in your biscuits.
  • Donuts - deep fried in lard ensures donuts are crisp on the outside and soft inside.
What does pork lard taste like?
  • Pork lard should have a neutral taste that contains no pork flavour when it is properly rendered.
You can reuse the lard from cooking belly and bacon for roasting vegetables, frying burgers, or a gravy base.
Do you have a question for Maria? Click here to Ask the Butcher!