Lard Question

[Denim Deb]

In the words of Emiril Lagasse, Pig Fat Rules!

 

[Neko-chan]

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[freemotion]

If you can render your own from leaf lard, ooo baby, that makes the best pie crust! Fat from other parts of the pig yields a softer lard. Lard rules. Freemotion

 

[Neko-chan]

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[Bubblingbrooks]

So...what health advantages does lard provide? Or is it just because it's natural and better than what's out there?

I'll let Free answer that, but I will tell you what so called healthy vege oils do to you.
Generally, the most dreaded chore in a kitchen is cleaning the vent.
All those sticky oils that cannot be moved without massive degreaser's and elbow grease.

Those are the oils that are clogging up everyone's arteries. And helping ensure that sunburns occur.

Cook with natural stuff, and a light wipe with a teeny bit of dish soap is all that is needed for cleanup!

 

[freemotion]

We run on saturated fats. Especially good quality animal fats. It makes up a large portion of our cell walls, it is a building block for many hormones necessary for our body to function well, and is critical to brain and central nervous system function. We can convert it to usable energy very efficiently, losing very few vitamins and minerals in the process....as opposed to grains, that deplete our systems of many vitamins and minerals in the many steps it takes to convert them into usable energy for our cells.

We are told that veg oils are best....but...follow the money. The corn, soy, canola, etc "veg oil" business is a mult-billion dollar industry. There are many health problems associated with consumption of it. It takes many chemical steps to de-odorize and de-colorize it for the American public, and it is already oxidized by the time it is bottled....releasing dangerous free radicals into our bodies along with all the toxins.

That is the very brief version!

I lecture for about an hour on it periodically. I maintain that snack cravings/sugar cravings are more about cravings for proper fats than for carbs and sugars in many cases. Many of the people in my groups experience a serious reduction in cravings when they add plenty of saturated fats back into their diets. The body will utilize the hydrogenated fats in place of the saturated ones...in cell walls, this creates dead places where proper function and communication no longer takes place, and is linked to many serious diseases like diabetes.

So if you must have that cookie...at least make it yourself, and with lard!

BTW, I also now use it to season my woodstove. No more of that chemically black goo that comes in a tube. Lard, baby, lard!

 

[Neko-chan]

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[freemotion]

Yes to all your questions. Just limit the EVOO, use it whenever good saturated fats (lard, butter, ghee, tallow) won't work, or when you want the flavor of the olive oil.

Tallow and lard both have fairly high smoke points. I love veggies deep-fried in tallow!

 

[Neko-chan]

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[Bubblingbrooks]

Okay, thanks for that! Just as well, EVOO tends to be pricey.

EVOO is also prone to damage when heated to high.
Adding it just before serving is a good idea