Ingredients
1 kg pork fat
½ cup cold water
Directions
Cut the pork fat into roughly 25 mm squares. Add both the pork fat and ½ cup cold water to a cold thick-bottomed pot. We used our cast-iron frypan, but you can also use a Dutch oven. Place the pan/pot over medium heat, uncovered.
The water will cook off and the lard will render slowly. It’s important to keep the heat below the fat’s smoke point. When the heat level is right, you’ll see a lot of small bubbles, but no smoke or steam of any kind. Stir periodically to prevent sticking. And as always with hot grease, be very careful!
When the oil starts to pool, you can scoop it out and strain it into a clean, heat-proof jar or container. You can do this gradually as the lard builds up. The whole process will take about an hour. Once it’s done, the rendered pork fat will be a light golden colour.
Once the lard is cooled, cover and store it in the refrigerator. As with all homemade sauces, condiments, etc., practice good sense and hygiene. Only dip clean utensils into your lard to preserve it! And keep it on the top shelf, which is the coldest part of your refrigerator.
