Anyone Tried Lard??

Baking By DelightsByE Updated 25 Oct 2010 , 1:53pm by milkmaid42

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DelightsByE Posted 24 Oct 2007 , 11:58pm
post #1 of 158

With all this hoopla about the new Crisco, and now murmurs about partially or fully hydrogenated fats being bad in general, has anyone tried using prepackaged refined lard in their BC?? I'm not sure I'm ready to try a batch...thought I'd ask...

157 replies
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indydebi Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 12:34am
post #2 of 158

never. crisco is vegetable....lard is animal fat. no way, at least for me.

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DelightsByE Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 12:40am
post #3 of 158

Yeah, that is kind of a hangup for me too....but still...it's not hydrogenated in any way, and that is a check in the plus column.....maybe it's the ONLY check, I don't know... icon_confused.gif

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woodthi32 Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 12:42am
post #4 of 158

I hadn't ever thought of it. I'll bet it doesn't taste good, but why would it being animal fat make you steer away from it, curiously?

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indydebi Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 12:52am
post #5 of 158

maybe it's just an old memory from being a kid, but I've tasted food made with lard.

Trust me, it's NOT a taste that you forget .... and it's not a taste I want associated with food that I make.

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DelightsByE Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 12:45am
post #6 of 158

I have a package of lard in my pantry, it really doesn't taste or smell like anything. Plus it's bright white.

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jibbies Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 12:55am
post #7 of 158

As much as I love red meat, steaks, hamburgers, steak, I can't imagine animal fat in my icing icon_surprised.gif
If you are brave enough to try it let us know how it turns out icon_wink.gif
Did I mention I love steak?

jibbies

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playingwithsugar Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 12:51am
post #8 of 158

Lard is what poor folks and cultures who wasted nothing used way back in the day, for their pie crusts, icings, etc. Today many people still use it in their pastry. I am sure that if it left an aftertaste, they would have reconsidered it.

Theresa icon_smile.gif

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CakemanOH Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:05am
post #9 of 158

You could do a mini test..... If 2 pounds of PS is 7 to 8 cups and you normally add 1 cup crisco or high ratio...then you could do 7 teaspoons or tbsp to 1 tea or tbsp lard. add a touch of water and a drop of flavor and mix well. That would give you a good idea what the tast is without wasting.

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CakemanOH Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:05am
post #10 of 158

You could do a mini test..... If 2 pounds of PS is 7 to 8 cups and you normally add 1 cup crisco or high ratio...then you could do 7 teaspoons or tbsp to 1 tea or tbsp lard. add a touch of water and a drop of flavor and mix well. That would give you a good idea what the tast is without wasting.

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woodthi32 Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:10am
post #11 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by playingwithsugar

Lard is what poor folks and cultures who wasted nothing used way back in the day, for their pie crusts, icings, etc. Today many people still use it in their pastry. I am sure that if it left an aftertaste, they would have reconsidered it.

Theresa icon_smile.gif



"way back in the day"?? poor people use it today too. and they used it to cook everything, frying, or just to add fat and calories to food, not just for pie crusts and icingsicon_smile.gif Makes it go farther.
It's a lot of the reason poor people and ppl in the south have a higher obesity rate...their habit of eating fat.

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indydebi Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:15am
post #12 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by playingwithsugar

Lard is what poor folks and cultures who wasted nothing used way back in the day, for their pie crusts, icings, etc. Today many people still use it in their pastry. I am sure that if it left an aftertaste, they would have reconsidered it.




Oh, darlin', that is SO not true! icon_lol.gif

I grew up poorer than dirt. We had perfect attendance at school because that's where the food and the heat was. We learned early in life that no matter what it tasted like, you ate it and YOU LIKED IT .... whether you did or not.

When you are so poor that NOTHING goes to waste, then you can't "reconsider" using something else.

Sometimes you just have no choice.

Well, you do. But choosing between starving and eating what's in front of you is a no-choice choice.

Besides....if that's all you grew up on, you didn't KNOW it tasted bad. You thought it was SUPPOSE to taste that way.

Give ya an example. My mom is a TERRIBLE cook. She believed in putting sugar on everything. I grew up thinking that EVERYONE put 4 or 5 Tbsp of sugar on top of their spaghetti! I never "reconsidered" not doing that because I thought it was normal! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

When people ask if I learned to be a caterer "because your mom was a good cook?" I say, "Oh hell no! I learned to cook out of necessity!" icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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sugarlove Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:11am
post #13 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by jibbies

As much as I love red meat, steaks, hamburgers, steak, I can't imagine animal fat in my icing icon_surprised.gif
If you are brave enough to try it let us know how it turns out icon_wink.gif
Did I mention I love steak?

jibbies




hmm, well I guess butter (IMBC, Swiss buttercream, or any TRUE buttercream) is a no go since its made from animal (beef) fat. Taste mighty darn good to me.

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playingwithsugar Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:34am
post #14 of 158

Look, I didn't say what I said to start someone up on their soapbox. And I really did not need your autobiography. My opinion was my opinion, and that's that. If you don't like it, oh well.

Theresa icon_smile.gif

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DelightsByE Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:37am
post #15 of 158

This taken from a google search on the subject, from Wikipedia

"A finished cake is often enhanced by covering it with icing, or frosting, and toppings such as sprinkles, which are also known as "jimmies" in certain parts of the United States and "hundreds and thousands" in the United Kingdom. Frosting is usually made from powdered (icing) sugar, sometimes a fat of some sort, milk or cream, and often flavorings such as vanilla extract or cocoa powder. Some decorators use a rolled fondant icing. Commercial bakeries tend to use lard for the fat, and often whip the lard to introduce air bubbles. This makes the icing light and spreadable. Home bakers either use lard, butter, margarine or some combination thereof. Sprinkles are small firm pieces of sugar and oils that are colored with food coloring. In the late 20th century, new cake decorating products became available to the public. These include several specialized sprinkles and even methods to print pictures and transfer the image onto a cake."

entire article can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cake

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DelightsByE Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:39am
post #16 of 158

WHOA WHOA WHOA

as the originator of this post, BE NICE. I mean it!

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Doug Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:45am
post #17 of 158

and McD's used to fry all the french fries in tallow (beef fat)...that is until a few lawsuits by various parties for various reasons (religious, vegan, health) put an end to that ....

and "classic" crisco as well.

----

didn't grow up dirt poor

but we had a "drippings can" on the stove -- where all the fat from cooking bacon went -- aka lard.

and then got reused for lots of foods --

and I for one still think the pure from the grocery store form of lard makes the best pie crusts

and drippings are just heavenly in German potato salad and wilted greens of all varieties.

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woodthi32 Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:46am
post #18 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by playingwithsugar

Look, I didn't say what I said to start someone up on their soapbox. And I really did not need your autobiography. My opinion was my opinion, and that's that. If you don't like it, oh well.

Theresa icon_smile.gif



rowwrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Soapbox!? Come on, you didn't state an opinion. You stated knowledge. Something you believed to be fact and were simply mistaken . Why does that bother you so much? "Oh, I didn't know that. thanks! Learn something new every day!" may have been more appropriate. Insulting the poster was not appropriate. And, before you start saying you didn't...you did.

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DelightsByE Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:51am
post #19 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug

but we had a "drippings can" on the stove -- where all the fat from cooking bacon went




I have one of those!!!! icon_biggrin.gif

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug

and drippings are just heavenly in german potato salad and wilted greens of all varieties.




And grits....and cornbread....and scrambled eggs...and....and.....

is it getting HOT in here??? icon_surprised.gif

icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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woodthi32 Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:54am
post #20 of 158

hmm, well I guess butter (IMBC, Swiss buttercream, or any TRUE buttercream) is a no go since its made from animal (beef) fat. Taste mighty darn good to me.[/quote]
Well, actually milkfat is not at all like the body fat of an animal.......I thought of that initially too, though........
Although, I love cooking with bacon grease so much, I might just eat icing made with it!! icon_biggrin.gif

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Doug Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:59am
post #21 of 158

hard fats = bad fats (cholesterol, saturated, etc.) -- no way around it

liquid fats = good fats (well as good as fats can get) but they make lousy icing.

----

so, I'd rather die happy eating whatever I choose -- pass the spoon of high test icing -- than worry about the fats I'm eating.

----

bacon drippings also good in -- pan fries, gravies (esp pork sausage based!)

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DelightsByE Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:54am
post #22 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug

bacon drippings also good in -- pan fries, gravies (esp pork sausage based!)




STOP IT - you're killing me!!! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif


You know - I have an old Tshirt that I used to wear to aerobics class back in the day - it says "Exercise hard, eat fiber, die anyway."

I think I'm adding that to my signature line!!

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BCJean Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:54am
post #23 of 158

Let's not let this thread go bad before we get an answer. I really want to know. I have actually thought about it quite a few times, just never tried it.
I make my very best pie crust when I use lard. And I do bake good pies. I also have a white cake recipe which uses lard and it is really good, almost the texture of angel food cake.
I love American fries fried in bacon drippings. The only thing maybe better is navy beans cooked with fresh ham hocks. Of course to go with either of these you need hot cornbread saturated with real butter. Yes, I grew up poor and am better for it. I'm not fat, and I am healthy and old and happy.
I have both lard and powdered sugar in my cupboards, if you don't try it real soon, I will have to.

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indydebi Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 1:58am
post #24 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by playingwithsugar

Look, I didn't say what I said to start someone up on their soapbox. And I really did not need your autobiography. My opinion was my opinion, and that's that. If you don't like it, oh well.

Theresa icon_smile.gif




I think you somehow took my post the wrong way. It was not a lecture. I was not cutting off your opinion. Notice all the little smiley faces to indicate laughter and fun?

And if you think that post was "autobioography", well heck you must have missed some of my LONG posts! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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Junecakes Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 2:06am
post #25 of 158

Doug you are killing me! It's 10:00 pm and I already have my breakfast planned....fried eggs...ahhh..hashbrowns....ohhh....of course nice crispy bacon with a side of sausage...no wait, biscuits with sausage gravy. I just might have breakfast tonight![/quote]

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lorrieg Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 2:03am
post #26 of 158

I make my sugar cookies with butter, butter/margarine or margarine depending on what they will be used for. I make my Swiss buttercream with butter, my buttercream with butter and shortening or shortening and soon I will try sweetex as I've just ordered some. I make all my pie crusts with Tenderflake Lard and I use the recipe on the box. It has a bit of vinegar in it and I always thought that was it's secret but it might be the lard factor. I make the whole box (six crusts) and freeze what I don't need.

I'd be vegetarian but I have enough trouble as it is controlling my meat intake and dreams about buckets of bacon. Thank goodness the worst thing I can probably buy here in this town is poutine. icon_twisted.gif

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lorrieg Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 2:03am
post #27 of 158

I make my sugar cookies with butter, butter/margarine or margarine depending on what they will be used for. I make my Swiss buttercream with butter, my buttercream with butter and shortening or shortening and soon I will try sweetex as I've just ordered some. I make all my pie crusts with Tenderflake Lard and I use the recipe on the box. It has a bit of vinegar in it and I always thought that was it's secret but it might be the lard factor. I make the whole box (six crusts) and freeze what I don't need.

I'd be vegetarian but I have enough trouble as it is controlling my meat intake and dreams about buckets of bacon. Thank goodness the worst thing I can probably buy here in this town is poutine. icon_twisted.gif

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DelightsByE Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 2:11am
post #28 of 158

Doug - you're a man after my own heart! In line right behind my cardiologist.....

icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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cwcopeland Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 2:11am
post #29 of 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug


but we had a "drippings can" on the stove -- where all the fat from cooking bacon went -- aka lard.

and then got reused for lots of foods --

and drippings are just heavenly in German potato salad and wilted greens of all varieties.




I have one of those too!!! I use my drippings for lots of stuff. My husband's Granny and I made lard one time. It was awesome and the cracklins were even better (cracklin cornbread).

Question: Does hi ratio shortening have animal fat in it? If so, is it only part animal fat and would the animal fat be considered lard? If not, what's the difference between it and lard?

Quote:
Originally Posted by playingwithsugar

Look, I didn't say what I said to start someone up on their soapbox. And I really did not need your autobiography. My opinion was my opinion, and that's that. If you don't like it, oh well.

Theresa icon_smile.gif




Soapbox? Autobiography? There's no need to be ugly..... We all have opinions and hopefully we can respect everyone's opinion.

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woodthi32 Posted 25 Oct 2007 , 2:12am
post #30 of 158

I am with you Doug!! Pass the lard!
cook those hash browns in the bacon grease, and you will be a happy camper. Save a little to throw in the grits too!

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