Lard

[Defren]

I know we have discussed this before, but I have to share something with those of you, like me, who love 'traditional' lard.

As we have discussed before, lard these days is a mixture of all kinds of crap, and not worth buying. Today I was doing my grocery shopping along with a myriad of other things, and as usual was in Sainsbury's. I needed butter, so picked up a block, and noticed the lard. I had a nosy to see what ingredients were in it, and got a real surprise. Sainsbury's own brand lard 250g for 49p is.... pig fat and - nothing else! I didn't believe what I was reading, so found an assistant and showed her the pack. I asked if there were any hidden ingredients, while reeling off the law on food labeling, she confirmed it was right (the law and the packaging). I am now the proud owner of LARD again!

Dinner, organic ribeye steak, organic eggs, organic mushrooms, tomberries all fried in LARD! Woo-hoo!

[lucylocket61]

Sorry Defren to disillusion you, but its not the 100% pig fat in lard which is the problem, its the way it is made commercially which changes it, through bleaching and hydrogenation, into something harmful.

Again, the complete destruction of a formerly healthy product!!!

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-lard.htm scroll down, read it, and weep.........

[WhitbyJet]

Make your own lard, never ever buy from a supermarket, its so easy to do and you will also have wonderful crackling left over, sprinkle with a little salt and nibble while still warm - HEAVENLY!!

Look here - http://nourishedkitchen.com/how-to-render-lard/ (buy pork fat from your butcher, dont know what this leaf fat in the recipe is meant to be??)

[xyzzy]

WJ Leaf fat is the fat from around the Kidneys which is the best to use and the second best is back fat apparently.

[lucylocket61]

I have asked my local butcher for pork fat to make my own.

He is very doubtful he can get hold of any (city butcher, no local abbatoir) but he is going to try.

[Defren]

I'm going to gently disagree with you. If the pig fat had been played around with, bleach etc, that would have to be on the label. The food standards authority is very careful about how labeling is done, because many companies did (and still do) break the rules. I will confess I have not opened the pack yet as I have been manically busy the last few days, but once I open it, and use it, I will tell you if it tastes like granny's lard that I remember.

I could have been caught out, but we shall see, and if I have been then, well lets just say I know a man who can, and will see what I can find out.

[lucylocket61]

supermarket lard is hydrogenated http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8281326_substitutes-shortening-scones.html

and again http://www.ehow.com/info_8281326_substitutes-shortening-scones.html

as it is part of the manufacturing process, the bleaching and deodorising agents are not part of the ingredients. The hydrogenating is part of the refining process, so not on the ingredients label either.

and again http://www.hospitalityinfocentre.co.uk/Fats%20&%20OIls/Lard.htm

[WhitbyJet]

I agree 100% lucylocket, it is hydrogenated for sure, and supermarket lard doesnt taste anywhere near like the home rendered lard; you can do a test, if the lard stays firm at room temperature its been hydrogenated, not sure about bleached or deodorised, probably bleached because home made lard is a creamy white colour, not dazzling white like the supermarket stuff.

[Defren]

supermarket lard is hydrogenated http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8281326_substitutes-shortening-scones.html

and again http://www.ehow.com/info_8281326_substitutes-shortening-scones.html

as it is part of the manufacturing process, the bleaching and deodorising agents are not part of the ingredients. The hydrogenating is part of the refining process, so not on the ingredients label either.

and again http://www.hospitalityinfocentre.co.uk/Fats%20&%20OIls/Lard.htm

Fair enough Lucy, but having spoken to a staff member in Sainsbury's and read the label, I am going to wait and see. I don't for a second doubt most supermarket lard is fiddled around with, but there are often exceptions, and I shall see for myself. I may well be wrong, I have said that, but I will try it myself and see.

[GraceK]

My Mum used to buy lard from the supermarket and it was white and didn't really have a smell to it. When I got married I bought 'beef dripping' from the butchers which came in a sort of greaseproof type of bag and it was off white or lightish brown in colour, smelled absolute gorgeous and tasted out of this world. Haven't seen it around much nowadays though.

[Grizzly Bear]

Lard and beef dripping,

I did not know they still did lard with all this, " you can't eat this, you can't eat that PC brigade ? lol

My late gran use to cook everything in lard and beef dripping !

Surely though, its still fat and maybe bad for you ?

I have to watch my figure now you know lol

andy

[librarising]

You can certainly get this in Morrisons. I use it a lot



Geoff

[phoenix]

I'm pretty certain that supermarket lard in the UK is at the very least refined and deodorised (by what process?).
I did some looking up when Lucy posted about it the other day.
( idle curiosity as it isn't something I'm looking for.Roasting pork comes without skin here .Sometimes I buy a piece of pig skin ( fat attached) and cook with the pork to make crackling. I throw the rendered out fat away )

The only producer of this sort of fat for the mass market in the UK seems to be a company called Nortech foods. They produce the Britannia brand for retail distribution.
(I don't know if they also pack it for supermarket own brands. I wouldn't be surprised but supermarkets may also source it from elsewhere )
http://www.nortechfoods.co.uk/products.html
There is no useful info on the site about lard manufacture/processing.
There is a contact address. On my search I found that someone on another forum had tried asking them but they didn't give a useful answer.
However, by chance my search turned up the linked in page for their sales manager. I won't provide a link as it seems to be a bit invasive to put it on a forum. This shows that amongst the products he is responsible for selling is.

Lard Refined & Deodorised with / out additive, Boxed, Unboxed 12.5kg & Retail 250g / 500

I suspect that if you want to buy lard that is less processed you will have to go to one of the smaller producers. Fordhall farm sell what they call pork dripping but of course it is 3 x the cost and then postage on top.

[sunnshine1]

Pop into one of the "polish" shops. In the deli counter they sell "SLONINA", which is genuine pork fat. It is not completely white, slight streaks of brown in it, and is not spreadable, it is soft but you can slice it thinly and fry it. Add lots of flavour to all foods. They also sell spreadable, margerine tub sized fat which is spreadable, with the addition of garlic, etc. Absolutely delicious.

My father, polish born, used to spread this on his dark rye bread and sprinkled it with salt on a daily basis! He loved fatty foods. He didn't have high cholesterol or high blood pressure and developed Type 2 diabetes when he was 85. Sadly, he passed away earlier this year, after a fall and breaking both his femur bones and contacting pneumonia. He was aged 92. He could never understand this low fat business, saying it depends on what type of fat we eat!

[izzzi]

just been e-mailed this. http://communicatoremail.com/Y2x0Pn5sj9 ... bView.aspx

I don't think they know there is a great amount of vitamin D in good old "LARD"


Roy.