baymule
Sustainability Master
I rendered l rendered lard for the first time yesterday. This is a thread for us to discuss lard, rendering it, canning it and using it in cooking. @frustratedearthmother @Britesea @Mini Horses @NH Homesteader and anyone else please add your experience to the thread!
So yesterday I took out 2 packages of chopped lard from the freezer and put it in my largest pot. I am proud of this huge commercial stainless steel pot, it was priced at $130, but after talking to the men in the commercial kitchen store, telling them all about my canning and running my mouth (which I am VERY good at) they knocked $30 off the price. It is so big that I can't lift it when even half full.
Anyway, I defrosted the lard in the microwave for 8 minutes, then put in my big pot. I put it on medium low heat and it slowly melted. I did not add water. Over the course of the day, I stirred it and that's about all. When it was all melted and boiling, I strained it through a colander. Then restrained it through the colander lined with cheese cloth.
Hmmm...…. normally I fill jars with boiling water to heat them up, but didn't want water in my lard. So I filled quart jars with the not boiling any more, cooling down lard. I placed the jars (4 quarts) in The Beast, my 921 All American pressure canner and water bathed, not pressured, them for 10 minutes. I cut off the heat, let it cool awhile and took the jars out. They popped a seal.
So today I am rendering the remaining 4 packages of chopped fat/lard. I will keep y'all posted!
So yesterday I took out 2 packages of chopped lard from the freezer and put it in my largest pot. I am proud of this huge commercial stainless steel pot, it was priced at $130, but after talking to the men in the commercial kitchen store, telling them all about my canning and running my mouth (which I am VERY good at) they knocked $30 off the price. It is so big that I can't lift it when even half full.
Anyway, I defrosted the lard in the microwave for 8 minutes, then put in my big pot. I put it on medium low heat and it slowly melted. I did not add water. Over the course of the day, I stirred it and that's about all. When it was all melted and boiling, I strained it through a colander. Then restrained it through the colander lined with cheese cloth.
Hmmm...…. normally I fill jars with boiling water to heat them up, but didn't want water in my lard. So I filled quart jars with the not boiling any more, cooling down lard. I placed the jars (4 quarts) in The Beast, my 921 All American pressure canner and water bathed, not pressured, them for 10 minutes. I cut off the heat, let it cool awhile and took the jars out. They popped a seal.
So today I am rendering the remaining 4 packages of chopped fat/lard. I will keep y'all posted!