(& Make Cracklings)
Supplies Needed:
•Animal Fat
•Glass canning jars with 2 piece canning lids
•Heavy bottomed pot (a cast-iron Dutch oven is perfect)
•Jar funnel
•Small metal strainer
•Clean cotton cloth or coffee filter
•Ladle
•Slotted spoon
•Wooden or metal stirring spoon
How to Render Lard/Tallow:
•Grind your fat using a meat grinder (or chop your fat into small pieces).
-•Use a clean, dry, heavy-bottomed pot and place it on the stovetop on LOW heat for the entire process. Repeat to yourself 3 times… LOW AND SLOW.
•Put a small amount of chopped or ground fat into the bottom of your cool pot and turn the pot on low, stirring constantly until the pot has a thin layer of melted fat across the entire bottom. Add more fat if necessary.
•Add the rest of your fat and stir to coat with the already melted fat.
•Repeat again… LOW and SLOW.
•Stir occasionally to avoid scorching.
•Continue cooking and stirring until there are no longer any bubbles and the cracklings (leftover chunks) are a nice light golden brown.
•Scoop out the cracklings with a slotted spoon onto a plate covered with a clean cotton cloth or a paper towel to drain. •Salt to taste and enjoy warm as a snack. •Store cracklings, once completely cooled, loosely packed in a ziplock bag in the freezer.
•Wash and dry glass jars and keep warm. •Set the canning funnel in the still warm jar, the metal strainer in the canning funnel, and line with a clean cotton cloth, muslin, or a coffee filter.
•Turn off the heat source.
•Carefully (it is HOT!!) ladle the melted fat into the jar through the cloth and strainer to remove any remaining bits of cracklings.
•Fill the jar and immediately cap each jar.
•Set jars aside to cool.
•Store lard in a cool, dark pantry or in the refrigerator or freezer. Once open, it is best to use lard within 1 week if left at room temperature, but it will remain good for up to a year, open, in the refrigerator.
For a video demonstration visit:
