RenDERING Lard

Lard is making a comeback as a top quality cooking fat.  It's versatility in the kitchen and its health benefits are two big reasons why you should try to render your own.  Lard can be used in nearly every dish, both in cooking and baking.

INSTRUCTIONS 

1) Grind the fat you want to render.  

2) Add the ground fat to the crock pot and set it on high.  

3) As the fat begins to melt, stir occasionally.  Let the fat simmer.  The time this will take will vary depending on the amount in the crockpot and how hot it gets.  Expect between 2 and 6 hours.  When the remaining solids start turning brown, stop the cooking process.  This means the fat has all liquified and the moisture level has dropped.

4) Strain out the solids by using cheesecloth.  You can put the liquid lard into mason jars and let it cool while at room temperature.  Once cool, freeze the lard to ensure it stays fresh. 

*If the lard has a low enough moisture content you can store it at room temperature indefinitely, however with no way to test this it's safer to freeze it.  When you are using a jar of lard it's best to keep it in the refrigerator.