Lard

Lard: Nutrition, History and Complete Cooking Guide

Lard is rendered pork fat — produced by slowly cooking pork fat (leaf lard from around the kidneys, fatback, or mixed trimmings) until the fat liquefies and the connective tissue and protein solids can be strained off, leaving a pure, white, solid fat at room temperature. It was the primary cooking fat of Britain, most of Europe, and North America for centuries — until the mid-twentieth century, when industrially produced vegetable shortening and margarine were actively marketed as healthier modern alternatives, and lard's reputation was largely destroyed. The damage to lard's reputation was so thorough that it virtually disappeared from domestic kitchens by the 1970s–80s. The rehabilitation of lard began in the early 2000s through the artisan food movement — bakers rediscovered that lard produced the flakiest, most tender pastry of any fat; chefs found that lard-fried chips had an unrivalled flavour; and nutritionists noted that the trans fat content of the hydrogenated vegetable shortenings that replaced lard was in fact significantly more harmful than lard itself. Lard's reputation has been gradually recovering since.

Nutritional Value and Fat Composition

Lard provides 902 kcal and 100 g of fat per 100 g, with 39.2 g of saturated fat — lower in saturated fat than butter (51 g) and coconut oil (82 g). The fat is approximately 45% monounsaturated (predominantly oleic acid, the same as in olive oil), 40% saturated, and 11% polyunsaturated. Lard from pigs raised outdoors with access to sunlight contains meaningful amounts of vitamin D — one of the rare animal fat sources of this nutrient. CLA is present in small amounts in lard from pasture-raised pigs.

Why Lard Makes Outstanding Pastry

Lard's crystal structure at room temperature — larger, more irregular fat crystals compared to butter — creates the characteristic flakiness of traditional British short pastry and American pie crust. When lard is rubbed into flour, it coats the flour particles in a way that inhibits gluten development and produces a short, crumbly, tender texture. Many experienced bakers use a combination of butter (for flavour) and lard (for texture) in pastry, getting the best of both.

How to Use Lard

The highest quality lard (leaf lard) is ideal for pastry — use chilled and cut into flour in the same way as butter. For chips/frying: lard's high smoke point (around 190–200°C) makes it excellent for deep-frying, producing notably crisp, flavoursome results. For sautéing: lard gives excellent results with potatoes, vegetables, and meat. Use to make traditional lard cakes, Welsh cakes, and pork scratchings. Available from butchers, market stalls, and some supermarkets (often in the chilled section near the butter).