# Lard for a Pie Crust?



## carpenter (Aug 19, 2011)

Hello all.  I am interested in making a pie crust and some biscuits using lard.  Leaf lard is not available. I'd rather not use the hydrogenated logs that are most common at the grocery stores.  I have access to Mexican style lard. I use this frequently for cooking but it has a good porky taste.  Maybe too porky for baking?  My other choice is to buy what is labeled "pork fat" and render it myself.  By doing it myself I am able to render it with less porky taste.

Any answers?  Thanks, M


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Hey Carpenter, 

I am not sure how rendering the pork fat yourself would give you a less porky taste? Sounds like you would end up with the same no? I wonder if you could cut the pork lard with something. Suet is another option but it might give you a beef flavor.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I choose fat for pie crust depending on what I'm making.  For example: Beef suet is great for mince meat pie; Mexican pork lard is great for, wait for it, pork pie; butter for apple pie; and Crisco for most other pies where an "unflavored" crust is desired.

For bisquits, I determine which fat by the dish thhe bisquits will be served with.


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## carpenter (Aug 19, 2011)

The longer it melts the more flavor it gets.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

The better the lard, the less "porky" the taste. You can get very good lard from some carnecerias, and lesser from others -- it just depends on the fat they use initially. Smelly fat makes for smelly lard; it's largely a matter of where on the pig the fat was. The guys in the carnecieria make lard (_manteca_) exactly the same way you are, just in larger quantities. If the convenience of having someone do the work is what you're after, you can probably find a carneceria with lard as good as yours.

Leaf lard is lard like all other lard, only the fat comes from very specific areas -- around the loin and/or kidneys. By the way, best quality suet comes from the kidney and loin areas of a beeve.

If you're located in SoCal, Farmer John brand lard is ubiquitous, very high quality, and very mild in aroma and taste.

In my opinion good lard gives a cleaner taste than Crisco. It's my preferred fat for anything where "flaky" is important -- that includes any pie crust and biscuits too.

BDL


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## carpenter (Aug 19, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. I'm in Boston and can not find any leaf lard this soon before Thanksgiving.  I would have to find a farmer and preorder it.  The fat I usually get is in long strips and if I don't render it too long it turns a solid white.  The Mexican lard has a tan color to it.


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