# Lard

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{{Short description|Semi-solid white pork fat product}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{pp-move}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox oils
 |name=Lard
 |image=250px
 |caption= Wet-rendered lard, from pork fatback
 |composition=
 |fat=
 |water=
 |solids=
 |sterols=
 |fatcomposition=y
 |sat= 38–43%:<br>[Palmitic acid](/source/Palmitic_acid): 25–28%<br>[Stearic acid](/source/Stearic_acid): 12–14%<br>[Myristic acid](/source/Myristic_acid): 1%
 |interster=
 |unsat= 56–62%
  |monoun=47–50%:<br>[Oleic acid](/source/Oleic_acid): 44–47%<br>[Palmitoleic acid](/source/Palmitoleic_acid): 3%
  |polyun=[Linoleic acid](/source/Linoleic_acid): 6–10%<ref>National Research Council. (1976). [http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?chapselect=yo&page=203&record_id=22&Jump+to+Specified+Page.x=0&Jump+to+Specified+Page.y=0 Fat Content and Composition of Animal Products.]; p. 203. Washington, DC: Printing and Publishing Office, National Academy of Science. {{ISBN|0-309-02440-4}}</ref><ref name=sourcebook/>
   |o3=
   |o6=
   |o9=
 |properties=y
 |energy_per_100g={{convert|3770|kJ|kcal|abbr=on}}
 |melt=backfat: {{convert|30|–|40|C|F}}<br>leaf fat: {{convert|43|–|48|C|F}}<br>mixed fat: {{convert|36|–|45|C|F}}
 |boil=
 |smoke={{convert|121|-|218|C|F}}
 |roomtemp=
 |sfi20=
 |sg20=0.917–0.938
 |refract=
 |iodine=45–75
 |acid=3.4
 |aciddeg=
 |ph=
 |sapon=190–205
 |unsapon=0.8%<ref name=sourcebook/>
 |reichert=
 |polenske=
 |kirschner=
 |shortening=
 |peroxide=
}}

'''Lard''' is a [semi-solid](/source/Quasi-solid) white [fat](/source/fat) product obtained by [rendering](/source/rendering_(animal_products)) the [fatty tissue](/source/adipose_tissue) of a [pig](/source/domestic_pig).<ref name=merriam>"[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lard Lard]" entry in the online ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary''. Accessed on 2020-07-05.</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=lard|url=https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/lard|work=The Free Dictionary|access-date=2022-02-04}}</ref> It is distinguished from [tallow](/source/tallow), a  similar product derived from fat of [cattle](/source/cattle) or [sheep](/source/sheep).

Lard can be rendered by steaming, boiling, or dry heat. The culinary qualities of lard vary somewhat depending on the origin and processing method; if properly rendered, it may be nearly odorless and tasteless.<ref name=clif1955>E. S. Clifton, Joseph Kastelic, and Belle Lowe (1955): ''Relationships between Lard Production Methods, Volumes of Production, Costs and Characteristics of Lard Produced in Selected Packing Plants''.  Research Bulletin 422, Iowa State College Experiment Station, US Department of Agriculture.</ref>  It has a high [saturated fatty acid](/source/saturated_fat) content and no [trans fat](/source/trans_fat). At retail, refined lard is usually sold as paper-wrapped blocks.

Many cuisines use lard as a [cooking](/source/cooking) fat or [shortening](/source/shortening), or as a [spread](/source/spread_(food)) in the same ways as [butter](/source/butter). It is an ingredient in various [savoury](/source/umami) dishes such as [sausage](/source/sausage)s, [pâté](/source/p%C3%A2t%C3%A9)s, and [filling](/source/filling_(cooking))s. As a replacement for butter, it provides flakiness to [pastry](/source/pastry). In western cuisine, it has ceded its popularity to [vegetable oil](/source/vegetable_oil)s, but many cooks and bakers still favor it over other fats for certain uses.

==History==
[[File:Tourtiere Lard.jpg|thumb|Raw fatback being diced to prepare [tourtière](/source/tourti%C3%A8re)]]

Lard has always been an important cooking and baking staple in cultures where [pork](/source/pork) is an important dietary item, with pig fat often being as valuable a product as pork.<ref name=penguin1/>

During the 19th century, lard was used in a similar way to [butter](/source/butter) in North America and many European nations.<ref name=Ullmann/> Lard remained about as popular as butter in the early 20th century and was widely used as a substitute for butter during [World War II](/source/World_War_II). As a readily available [by-product](/source/by-product) of modern pork production, lard had been cheaper than most [vegetable oils](/source/vegetable_oils), and it was common in many people's diet until the [Industrial Revolution](/source/Industrial_Revolution) made vegetable oils more common and more affordable. [Vegetable shortenings](/source/Vegetable_shortenings) were developed in the early 1900s, which made it possible to use vegetable-based fats in baking and in other uses where solid fats were called for. [Upton Sinclair](/source/Upton_Sinclair)'s novel ''[The Jungle](/source/The_Jungle)'', though fictional, portrayed men falling into rendering vats and being sold as lard, which generated negative publicity.

By the late 20th century lard began to be considered less healthy than vegetable oils (such as [olive](/source/olive_oil) and [sunflower](/source/sunflower) oil) because of its high content of [saturated fatty acids](/source/saturated_fatty_acids) and [cholesterol](/source/cholesterol). However, despite its reputation, lard has less saturated fat, more [unsaturated fat](/source/unsaturated_fat) and less cholesterol than an equal amount of butter by weight.<ref name=sourcebook/> Un[hydrogenated](/source/hydrogenated) lard contains no transfats. It has also been regarded as a "[poverty food](/source/poverty_food)".<ref name=penguin1/>

In the 1990s and early 2000s, however, chefs and bakers rediscovered lard's unique culinary values, leading to a partial rehabilitation of this fat among "[foodies](/source/foodies)". Negative publicity about the transfat content of the [partially hydrogenated vegetable oils](/source/partially_hydrogenated_vegetable_oils) in vegetable shortening has partially driven this trend. Chef and food writer [Rick Bayless](/source/Rick_Bayless) is a prominent proponent of the virtues of lard for certain types of cooking.<ref name=seatimes>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw09102006/2003248134_pacificptaste10.html "The Real Thing: nothing beats lard for old-fashioned flavor"] by Matthew Amster-Burton, ''[The Seattle Times](/source/The_Seattle_Times)'', September 10, 2006.</ref><ref name=sfchron>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030402003829/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/03/12/FD23390.DTL "Don't let lard throw you into a tizzy"] by Jacqueline Higuera-McMahan, ''[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle)'', March 12, 2003.</ref><ref name=times1>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9C06E3DC1E3CF932A25753C1A9669C8B63 "Light, Fluffy – Believe It, It's Not Butter"] by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, ''[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)'', October 11, 2000.</ref><ref name=wmail>[http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/health/tm_objectid=16547930&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=heart-stopping-moment-for-doctors--as-we-re-falling-in-love--again-with-lard-name_page.html "Heart-stopping moment for doctors as we're falling in love again with lard"] by Sally Williams, ''[Western Mail](/source/Western_Mail_(Wales))'', January 5, 2006.</ref>
[[File:Zsíros kenyér, 5.jpg|thumb|''Zsíros kenyér'' or ''zsíros deszka'' ("lardy plank")  from [Hungary](/source/Hungary). It is eaten with [red onions](/source/Red_onion) and [paprika](/source/paprika).]]
[[Image:Raviola_nissena.jpg|thumb|The [raviola di ricotta nissena](/source/raviola_di_ricotta_nissena) a Sicilian dessert strictly fried in lard]]
It is also again becoming popular in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) among aficionados of traditional British cuisine. This led to a "lard crisis" in late 2004.<ref name="guardian"/><ref name=independent>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081228100023/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/chefs-prize-it-the-french-love-it-the-poles-are-hogging-it-and-now-britains-running-out-of-it-533897.html "Chefs prize it. The French love it. The Poles are hogging it. And now Britain's running out of it."] by Christopher Hirst, ''[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)'', November 20, 2004.</ref>

==Production==

Lard is produced mainly in [China](/source/China), followed by [Germany](/source/Germany), [Brazil](/source/Brazil), [United States](/source/United_States), and [Russia](/source/Russia).<ref>[http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QP/ Lard Production in 2018 by FAO]</ref>

{| class="wikitable gauche" style="margin-right:2em;" cellpadding="5"
!
!Country !! Production, 2018<br /><small>(tonnes)</small><ref>{{Cite web |title=FAOSTAT |url=https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/ |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=www.fao.org}}</ref>
|-
|1
| {{CHN}}||align="right"| 2,544,847
|-
|2
| {{GER}}||align="right"| 549,989
|-
|3
| {{BRA}}||align="right"| 508,600
|-
|4
| {{USA}}||align="right"| 447,474
|-
|5
| {{RUS}}||align="right"| 434,100
|-
|6
| {{ITA}}||align="right"| 215,513
|-
|7
| {{POL}}||align="right"| 174,649
|-
|8
| {{ROU}}||align="right"| 148,997
|-
|9
| {{FRA}}||align="right"| 146,519
|-
|10
| {{MEX}}||align="right"| 143,842
|}
Lard can be obtained from any part of the pig that has a high concentration of [fatty tissue](/source/Adipose_tissue). The highest grade of lard, known as leaf lard, is obtained from the "flare" [visceral fat](/source/visceral_fat) deposit surrounding the [kidneys](/source/kidneys) and inside the [loin](/source/loin). Leaf lard has little pork flavor, making it ideal for use in baked goods, where it is valued for its ability to produce flaky, moist pie crusts. The next-highest grade is obtained from [fatback](/source/fatback), the hard [subcutaneous fat](/source/subcutaneous_fat) between the pig's back skin and muscle. The lowest grade (for purposes of rendering into lard) is obtained from the soft [caul fat](/source/caul_fat) surrounding digestive organs, such as [small intestines](/source/small_intestines), though caul fat is often used directly as a wrapping for roasting lean meats or in the manufacture of [pâtés](/source/p%C3%A2t%C3%A9s).<ref name=penguin2>Davidson, Alan. (2002). ''The Penguin Companion to Food''. New York: Penguin Books. "Caul"; p 176–177. {{ISBN|0-14-200163-5}}</ref><ref name=penguin1>Davidson, Alan. (2002). ''The Penguin Companion to Food''. New York: Penguin Books. "Lard"; p 530–531. {{ISBN|0-14-200163-5}}</ref><ref name=edibleren>Ockerman, Herbert W. and Basu, Lopa. (2006). Edible rendering – rendered products for human use. In: Meeker DL (ed). ''[http://www.renderers.org/publications/Essential%20Rendering%20The%20Book.pdf Essential Rendering: All About The Animal By-Products Industry]{{dead link|date=May 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}''. Arlington, VA: National Renderers Association. p 95–110. {{ISBN|0-9654660-3-5}}  (Warning: large document).</ref>

Lard may be [rendered](/source/Rendering_(animals)) by two processes: wet or dry. In wet rendering, pig fat is boiled in water or steamed at a high temperature and the lard, which is insoluble in water, is skimmed from the surface of the mixture or separated in an industrial [centrifuge](/source/centrifuge). In dry rendering, the fat is exposed to high heat in a pan or oven without water (a process similar to frying bacon). The two processes yield somewhat differing products. Wet-rendered lard has a more neutral flavor, a lighter color, and a high [smoke point](/source/smoke_point). Dry-rendered lard is somewhat browner and has a caramelized flavor and has a lower smoke point.<ref>Moustafa, Ahmad and Stauffer, Clyde. (1997). ''[http://www.asa-europe.org/pdf/bakery.pdf Bakery Fats.]'' Brussels: American Soybean Association. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202225348/http://www.asa-europe.org/pdf/bakery.pdf |date=February 2, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=joyofcooking>Rombaur, Irma S, et al. (1997). ''[Joy of Cooking](/source/The_Joy_of_Cooking)'' (revised ed). New York: Scribner. "About lard and other animal fats"; p 1069. {{ISBN|0-684-81870-1}}</ref>

Industrially-produced lard, including much of the lard sold in supermarkets, is rendered from a mixture of high and low quality fat from throughout the pig.<ref name=cooks>"Ask ''Cook's'': Is Lard an Acceptable Shortening?", ''[Cook's Illustrated](/source/Cook's_Illustrated)'', November 2004.</ref> Lard is often [hydrogenated](/source/Hydrogenated_oil) to improve its stability at room temperature. Hydrogenated lard sold to consumers typically contains fewer than 0.5 g of [transfat](/source/transfat)s per 13 g serving.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walmart.com/ip/Armour-Lard-64-oz/10449262 |title=Armour: Lard, 64 Oz: Baking |publisher=Walmart.com |access-date=2012-08-13}}</ref> Lard is also often treated with bleaching and deodorizing agents, [emulsifiers](/source/emulsifiers), and [antioxidants](/source/antioxidants) such as [BHT](/source/Butylated_hydroxytoluene).<ref name="penguin1" /><ref>[http://www.motherlindas.com/lard.htm "Put Lard Back in Your Larder"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231012/http://www.motherlindas.com/ |date=2016-03-03 }} by Linda Joyce Forristal, ''Mother Linda's Olde World Cafe and Travel Emporium''.</ref> These treatments make it more consistent and prevent spoilage. (Untreated lard must be refrigerated or frozen to prevent [rancidity](/source/Rancidification).)<ref>Matz, Samuel A. (1991). ''Bakery Technology and Engineering''. New York: Springer. "Lard"; p 81. {{ISBN|0-442-30855-8}}</ref><ref name=siprelle>[http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/makeyourownlard "Make Your Own Lard: Believe it or not, it's good for you"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013114116/http://thenewhomemaker.com/makeyourownlard |date=2007-10-13 }} by Lynn Siprelle, ''The New Homemaker'', Winter 2006.</ref>

Consumers wanting a higher-quality source of lard typically seek out [artisan](/source/artisan)al producers, or render it themselves from leaf lard or fatback.<ref name=cooks/><ref name=siprelle/><ref name=seatimes/><ref name=sfchron/><ref name=times1/>

A by-product of dry-rendering lard is [deep-fried](/source/Deep_frying) meat, skin and membrane tissue known as [cracklings](/source/cracklings).<ref name="penguin1" />

===Composition===
[[File:Trimyristin-3D-vdW.png|thumb|A [triglyceride](/source/triglyceride) molecule, the main constituent of lard]]
Lard consists mainly of fats,specifically [triglyceride](/source/triglyceride)s. Triglycerides contain three [fatty acid](/source/fatty_acid)s, varying from one triglyceride to another. In general lard is similar to [tallow](/source/tallow) in its composition. About 20% of lard is the [achiral](/source/achiral) triglyceride with [palmitic acid](/source/palmitic_acid) on carbon 2 and [oleic acid](/source/oleic_acid) on carbons 1 and 3.<ref name=Ullmann>{{cite encyclopedia|author=Alfred Thomas |encyclopedia=Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry|publisher=Wiley-VCH|place=Weinheim|year=2002|doi=10.1002/14356007.a10_173|chapter=Fats and Fatty Oils|isbn=3-527-30673-0}}</ref> Pigs that have been fed different diets will have lard with a significantly different fatty acid content and [iodine value](/source/iodine_value).  Peanut-fed hogs or the acorn-fed pigs raised for [Jamón ibérico](/source/Jam%C3%B3n_ib%C3%A9rico) therefore produce a somewhat different kind of lard compared to pigs raised in North American farms that are fed maize.<ref name=sourcebook>Ockerman, Herbert W. (1991). Source book for food scientists (Second Edition). Westport, CN: AVI Publishing Company.</ref><ref>Kaminsky, Peter. (2005). ''Pig Perfect: Encounters with Remarkable Swine and Some Great Ways to Cook Them''. Hyperion. 304 p. {{ISBN|1-4013-0036-7}}</ref>

==Culinary use==
Lard is one of the few edible oils with a relatively high smoke point, attributable to its high saturated fatty acids content. Pure lard is especially useful for cooking since it produces little smoke when heated and has a distinct flavor when combined with other foods. Many [chefs](/source/chefs) and [bakers](/source/bakers) prize lard over other types of shortening because of its flavor and range of applications.<ref name=10Reasons>Julie R. Thomson, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/cooking-with-lard-baking_n_5212804.html "10 Reasons You Should Be Cooking With Lard,"] ''HuffPost Taste,'' 28 April 2014 (Retrieved 5 October 2014).</ref>

===Nutritional value===
{{nutritionalvalue | name=Lard | kJ=3765.6 | protein=0 g | fat=100 g | carbs=0 g | vitE_mg=0.6 | satfat=39 g | monofat=45 g | polyfat=11 g | opt1n=[Cholesterol](/source/Cholesterol) | opt1v=95 mg | opt2n=[Zinc](/source/Zinc) | opt2v=0.1 mg | opt3n=[Selenium](/source/Selenium) | opt3v=0.2 mg | source_usda=1 | note=Fat percentage can vary | float=left}}
{{Clear}}

===Compared to other fats===
{{Comparison of cooking fats}}

===In baking===
Because of the relatively large fat crystals in lard, it is extremely effective as a [shortening](/source/shortening) in [baking](/source/baking). [Pie](/source/Pie) crusts made with lard tend to be flakier than those made with butter. Many cooks employ both types of fat in their [pastries](/source/pastries) to combine the shortening properties of lard with the flavor of butter.<ref name=penguin1/><ref name=nytimes2>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/dining/15crus.html?ex=1171429200&en=0b3b9cac41ee9011&ei=5070 "Heaven in a Pie Pan – The Perfect Crust"] by Melissa Clark, ''New York Times'', November 15, 2006.</ref><ref name=kingarthur>[King Arthur Flour](/source/King_Arthur_Flour). (2003). ''King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook.'' Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press. "Lard"; p. 550. {{ISBN|0-88150-581-1}}</ref>

===In cuisines===
{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2021}} 
Lard was once widely used in the cuisines of Europe, China and the New World and still plays a significant role in [British](/source/British_cuisine), [Central European](/source/European_cuisine), [Mexican](/source/Mexican_cuisine) and [Chinese](/source/Chinese_cuisine) cuisines. In British cuisine, lard is a traditional ingredient in mince pies and Christmas puddings, [lardy cake](/source/lardy_cake) and for frying [fish and chips](/source/fish_and_chips) as well as many other uses.<ref name=guardian>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/food/Story/0,,1351990,00.html|title=Lard crisis: mince pies threatened as supplies dwindle|author=Helen Carter|work=the Guardian|date=16 November 2004}}</ref><ref name="independent"/>

Lard is traditionally one of the main ingredients in the [Scandinavia](/source/Scandinavia)n [pâté](/source/p%C3%A2t%C3%A9) [leverpostej](/source/leverpostej).

[[File:Swift's Silverleaf Brand Pure Lard, 1916.jpg|thumb|left|1916 advertisement for lard produced by [Swift & Company](/source/Swift_%26_Company)]]
In Spain, one of the most popular versions of the Andalusian breakfast includes several kinds of ''mantecas'' differently seasoned, consumed spread over toasted bread. Among other variants, ''[manteca colorá](/source/manteca_color%C3%A1)'' (lard with paprika)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.angellopezsanz.es/Manteca-Colora-tarrina-400g |title=Manteca "Colorá", tarrina 400g - fabricantes de embutidos, chacinas, venta de embutidos |language=es |publisher=Angellopezsanz.es |date=2009-01-18 |access-date=2012-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426042352/http://www.angellopezsanz.es/Manteca-Colora-tarrina-400g |archive-date=2012-04-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ''zurrapa de lomo'' (lard with pork flakes)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.angellopezsanz.es/ZURRAPA-DE-LOMO-TARRINA-400-G |title=ZURRAPA DE LOMO TARRINA 400 G - fabricantes de embutidos, chacinas, venta de embutidos |language=es |publisher=Angellopezsanz.es |date=2009-01-18 |access-date=2012-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426043123/http://www.angellopezsanz.es/ZURRAPA-DE-LOMO-TARRINA-400-G |archive-date=2012-04-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> are the preferred ones. In [Catalan cuisine](/source/Catalan_cuisine) lard is used to make the dough for the pastry known as [coca](/source/Coca_(pastry)). In the Balearics particularly, [ensaïmada](/source/Ensa%C3%AFmada) dough also contains lard.

thumb|A slice of bread spread with lard was a typical staple in traditional rural cuisine of many countries.
Lard consumed as a [spread](/source/Spread_(food)) on [bread](/source/bread) was once very common in Europe and North America, especially those areas where dairy fats and vegetable oils were rare.<ref name=penguin1/>

As the demand for lard grows in the high-end restaurant industry, small farmers have begun to specialize in heritage hog breeds with higher body-fat contents than the leaner, modern hog. Breeds such as the [Mangalitsa hog](/source/Mangalica) of Hungary or [Large Black pig](/source/Large_Black_pig) of Great Britain are experiencing an enormous resurgence, to the point that breeders are unable to keep up with demand.<ref name="HeritageBreeds">{{cite news| first = Michael S. |last=Sanders|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/dining/01pigs.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=hungarian%20pig&st=cse| title=An Old Breed of Hungarian Pig Is Back in Favor|newspaper=The New York Times|date= March 29, 2009}}</ref>

When used without qualification the word 'lard' in English generally refers to wet-rendered lard, which has a very mild, neutral flavor as opposed to the more noticeably pork-flavored dry-rendered lard, or [dripping](/source/dripping). Dripping sandwiches are still popular in several European countries—[Hungarian](/source/Hungarian_cuisine) ''zsíroskenyér'' ("lardy bread") or ''zsírosdeszka'' ("lardy plank"), and [German](/source/German_cuisine) "Fettbemme", seasoned pork fat. Similar snacks are sometimes served with beer in Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. They are generally topped with [onion](/source/onion)s, served with [salt](/source/salt) and [paprika](/source/paprika), and eaten as a side-dish with [beer](/source/beer). All of these are commonly translated on menus as "lard" sandwiches, perhaps due to the lack of familiarity of most contemporary English native speakers with dripping. Attempts to use Hungarian ''zsír'' or Polish ''smalec'' (both meaning "fat/lard") when British recipes calling for lard will reveal the difference between the wet-rendered lard and dripping.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrys/244015611/ IMG_2116] by chrys, ''[Flickr.com](/source/Flickr.com)'', September 16, 2006.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110718055618/http://www2.lib.uchicago.edu/~keith//austria/restaurants.html "Austrian Restaurant Guide"] by Keith Waclena, February 18, 2000.</ref> In [Taiwan](/source/Taiwan), [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong) and [Macao](/source/Macao), as well as in many parts of [China](/source/China), lard was often consumed mixed into cooked [rice](/source/rice) along with [soy sauce](/source/soy_sauce) to make "lard rice" (豬油拌飯 or 豬油撈飯). And in Japan, back loin (fatback) lard is frequently used for [ramen](/source/ramen), creating a thick, nutty, slightly sweet and very hearty dish.

Traditionally, along with peanut oil, lard is extensively used in Asian cooking as a general-purpose cooking oil, esp. in stir-fries and deep-frying.

thumb|''Schweineschmalz'', German lard
thumb|''Griebenschmalz'', German lard with crispy pieces of pork skin

In [Germany](/source/Germany) lard is called ''Schweineschmalz'' (literally, "[rendered fat](/source/rendered_fat) from swine") and has been a longtime favorite as a [spread](/source/spread_(food)). It can be served plain, or it can be mixed with seasonings: pork fat can be enhanced with small pieces of pork skin, called ''Grieben'' (cf. Yiddish [gribenes](/source/gribenes)) to create ''Griebenschmalz''. Other recipes call for small pieces of apple or onion. In English, however, ''[schmaltz](/source/schmaltz)'' usually refers to kosher fat rendered from chicken, duck or goose.

Vegetarian ''Grieben'' from onions or apples, which began as a makeshift means of diluting ''Schmalz'' in time of need, became rather popular on their own account because they allow for a specific taste and a lower fat content. Completely vegetarian ''Schmalz''-like spreads based on vegetable fats use those ingredients as well. In Germany it is forbidden to use the term ''Schmalz'' for non-lard products.

In [Poland](/source/Poland), lard is most commonly used as a spread on bread (oftentimes paired with salt) or is a part of a recipe, for example it is sometimes used in making of [Toruń gingerbread.](/source/Toru%C5%84_gingerbread)

In [Ukrainian cuisine](/source/Ukrainian_cuisine) lard was historically used for preservation of [sausages](/source/sausages).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Що таке «українська кухня»? Історія, страви, смаки|date=24 August 2018 |url=https://obarykada.com/chasopys/shho-take-ukrayinska-kuhnya-istoriya-stravy-smaky/|access-date=2025-08-13}}</ref>

==Other uses==
Rendered lard can be used to produce [biofuel](/source/biofuel)<ref>[http://www.journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make2.html#fat "The Biodiesel Bible"] by Keith Addison, ''Make your own biodiesel'' (website).</ref> and [soap](/source/soap). Lard is also useful as a [cutting fluid](/source/cutting_fluid) in [machining](/source/machining). Its use in machining has declined since the mid-20th century as other specially engineered cutting fluids became prominent. However, it is still a viable option. Lard and other animal fats were formerly used as an [anti-foaming agent](/source/anti-foaming_agent) in [industrial fermentation](/source/industrial_fermentation) processes such as [brewing](/source/brewing); there, animal fats have been superseded by [polyether](/source/polyether)s.<ref>Randal M. Hill, Steven P. Christiano, "Antifoaming agents", in Joseph C. Salamone, ed., ''Polymeric Materials Encyclopedia'', CRC Press, 1996, '''1''':294</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
* [Lardy cake](/source/Lardy_cake), an English bread with heavy lard content
* [Suet](/source/Suet), like leaf lard
* [Whale blubber](/source/Whale_blubber)

==References==
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==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|Lard 4 30 11.ogg|date=2011-04-30}}
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* [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/12/opinion/high-on-the-hog.html "High on the Hog"] by Corby Kummer, ''The New York Times'', August 12, 2005.
* [http://www.obsessionwithfood.com/2006_01_01_blog-archive.html#113709378997673043 "Rendering Lard 2.0"] by Derrick Schneider, ''An Obsession with Food'' (blog), January 12, 2006.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080611115149/http://food.oregonstate.edu/l/lard.html "Lard"], Food Resource, College of Health and Human Sciences, [Oregon State University](/source/Oregon_State_University), February 20, 2007. – Bibliography of [food science](/source/food_science) articles on lard.

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Category:Animal fat products
Category:Animal fats
Category:Cooking fats
Category:Spreads (food)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lard) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lard?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
