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| Lard | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lard |
| Caption | Rendered lard in a crock |
| Type | Animal fat |
| Main ingredient | Pork fat |
| Region | Global |
| Serving size | 100 g |
Lard
Lard is rendered pork fat used as a cooking fat and ingredient in baking, frying, and food production. It has been employed historically in many cuisines and industries, appearing in recipes, trade, and technology associated with figures and institutions from Elizabethan era kitchens to Prohibition-era supply chains. Chefs, bakers, and food scientists in contexts such as French cuisine, Mexican cuisine, and Southern United States culinary traditions have used lard alongside ingredients and techniques linked to personalities like Julia Child and institutions like the James Beard Foundation.
Rendered pork fat has a recorded history dating to antiquity, intersecting with rulers, merchants, and explorers such as those from the Roman Empire, the Tang dynasty, and the voyages of Christopher Columbus. In medieval Europe lard featured in courtly banquets of the Holy Roman Empire and in peasant preserves associated with regions like Normandy and Andalusia. During the Industrial Revolution animal fats entered factory production for margarine alternatives and candles near urban centers like Manchester and New York City. In the 20th century lard’s use declined with the rise of hydrogenated vegetable shortenings promoted by corporations such as Procter & Gamble and regulatory debates involving institutions like the United States Food and Drug Administration and public figures advocating dietary change.
Lard is produced by rendering subcutaneous and visceral pork fat through dry- or wet-heat methods developed in artisanal and industrial contexts. Traditional household rendering aligns with techniques seen in rural communities across Mexico City, Seoul, and Warsaw, while industrial processes evolved in plants associated with companies like Swift & Company and Smithfield Foods. Types include leaf lard, back fat lard, and processed lard; leaf lard—sourced from the perinephric fat—has been prized by pastry chefs in circles that include culinary schools like Le Cordon Bleu and chefs such as Paul Bocuse. Processed and hydrogenated variants became widespread during the 20th century amid supply chains tied to retailers including Safeway and wholesalers supplying institutions like McDonald’s.
Lard is used for frying, sautéing, pie crusts, tortillas, confits, and traditional pastries across culinary traditions associated with figures and places such as Ferran Adrià, Rick Bayless, New Orleans, and Mexico City. In baking, leaf lard is favored by practitioners in institutions like the Cordon Bleu network and competitors in competitions such as the James Beard Awards for producing flaky pie crusts and laminated doughs. Lard’s high smoke point and plasticity have made it a choice in kitchens ranging from Spanish tapas bars to Southern United States biscuit bakers following methods popularized by cookbooks from authors like Edna Lewis and Irma Rombauer.
Nutritionally, lard is a source of fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids; analyzed in studies from universities such as Harvard University and institutions including the World Health Organization, it contains monounsaturated fats (notably oleic acid), saturated fats, and small amounts of polyunsaturated fats. Debates about cardiovascular risks involve research published by groups linked to the American Heart Association and policy discussions in bodies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public health campaigns and dietary guidelines from agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture have influenced consumption patterns, while contemporary nutrition science—cited in work by researchers at institutions like Johns Hopkins University—examines the role of dietary fat quality versus quantity in chronic diseases.
Beyond food, rendered pork fat has been used historically in soapmaking associated with artisans and companies from guilds in Florence to manufacturers in Chicago. It has also been employed in candle production during eras dominated by producers such as those in London and Philadelphia, and as a lubricant in mechanical contexts related to early railroad and agricultural machinery. In modern times, derivatives of animal fats intersect with biodiesel research at laboratories like those at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and with chemical industries in industrial clusters such as Houston.
Lard occupies cultural roles in festivals, folk practices, and regional cuisines connected to places like Guadalajara, Vienna, and Louisiana. It appears in traditional recipes celebrated in food writing by critics from publications like The New Yorker and institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution documenting food heritage. Religious and social customs in regions influenced by authorities such as the Catholic Church and community leaders have shaped pork consumption and lard use, as seen in culinary identities across diaspora communities from Manila to Toronto.
Category:Cooking fats Category:Animal products