Meat
Lard
Lard is rendered pork fat—the classic frying and pastry fat of European and American cookery. Proper leaf-lard pastry lard is nearly neutral; kettle-rendered body fat carries more pork aroma. Texture is solid when cold and melts cleanly for roasting potatoes, confit, biscuits, and tortillas. Render gently, strain, and store cold. Use where butter would brown too fast or where flaky pastry needs a firm fat. Not a separate animal from the pig: lard is the fat of pork in rendered form.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Nutrition and pairings
Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g edible portion. Nutrient names open the reference page.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g edible portion
Amount per 100 g
- Total Fat 99 g
- Saturated Fat 34.7 g
- Trans Fat 0.2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 39.6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 24.8 g
- Cholesterol 80.6 mg
- Sodium 58.7 mg
- Salt 0.15 g
- Total Carbohydrate 0 g
- Dietary Fibre 0 g
- Total Sugars 0 g
- Complex / starch 0 g
- Protein 0.2 g
- Water 0.3 g
- Energy 892 kcal
- Water 0.3 g
- Protein 0.2 g
- Fat 99 g
- Saturated Fat 34.7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 39.6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 24.8 g
- Omega-3 3.71 g
- Trans Fat 0.2 g
- Vitamins 38.8 mg
- Vitamin A 15 µg
- Vitamin B1 — Thiamine 0.59 mg
- Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin 0.17 mg
- Vitamin B3 — Niacin 4.56 mg
- Vitamin B5 — Pantothenic Acid 0.49 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.47 mg
- Vitamin B7 — Biotin 2.9 µg
- Vitamin B9 — Folate 9.2 µg
- Vitamin B12 — Cobalamin 1.2 µg
- Vitamin C 2 mg
- Vitamin D 0.2 µg
- Vitamin E 0.34 mg
- Vitamin K 1.7 µg
- Minerals 444 mg
- Major Minerals 443 mg
- Trace Minerals 1.5 mg
- Iron 1.5 mg
- Salt 0.15 g
- Cholesterol 80.6 mg
Vitamins
vitamin-c: 2 · vitamin-b12-cobalamin: 1.2 · vitamin-a: 15 · vitamin-b1-thiamine: 0.59 · vitamin-b2-riboflavin: 0.17 · vitamin-b3-niacin: 4.56 · vitamin-b5-pantothenic-acid: 0.49 · vitamin-b6: 0.47 · vitamin-b7-biotin: 2.9 · vitamin-b9-folate: 9.2 · vitamin-d: 0.2 · vitamin-e: 0.34 · vitamin-k: 1.7 ·
Minerals
Rendered or depot fat is nearly pure lipid energy with negligible carbohydrate.
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Pig fat was rendered and stored as lard wherever pigs were raised for meat.
American pie culture and Mexican cooking relied on lard as the default kitchen fat.
Industrial vegetable shortenings displaced lard until chef and heritage bakers revived it.
Artisan leaf lard returned to pastry counters and restaurant kitchens.