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A few months ago, Paul Burton, sausage manager at Westcombe Dairy in Somerset, posted about something he had been working on for four years. Derived from Gothelney Farm’s “amazing” pigs, whose meat and back fat were already used with beef to make salami, this new product was made from the excess fat lining the belly, known as leaf fat. “Lard is back,” Burton announced of the creamy white substance that would sell for €8.50 in 400g reusable glass jars.
At first I was skeptical. Lard has a disastrous reputation. The misunderstood big fat has long been dismissed as unhealthy and unpleasant. But while many commercially available versions are hydrogenated (to make them more stable) and therefore contain trans fats that negatively affect cholesterol, pure lard actually has some health benefits. It contains very high levels of monounsaturated fats, up to 48 percent, which help lower cholesterol. Lard also contains 20 percent less saturated fat than butter and is a great source of vitamin D. However, despite being periodically championed by cooks, lard has failed to take off in most of the kitchens. It’s hard to find quality versions. And for the “no-butter generation” who never cooked with it, it’s still a little gross.
Burton hopes to change that and has spent a considerable amount of time perfecting his version, so “it was something I wanted to spread on toast with a pinch of salt,” he says. “It’s complicated because fat contains a wide variety of saturated and unsaturated fats. But if you do it right, it has a nice texture and mouthfeel and a nice neutral flavor that’s not porky.”
His advice on the best way to use it is indisputable: start with roast potatoes. “It has a smoking point similar to that of goose fat and the result is incredible potatoes, light and fluffy with a glassy crispy exterior. Then, in all dishes that use olive oil by default, such as sautéing onions to make a soup or casserole, lard is used. “It adds a tasty complexity.” Lard is also great for frying eggs, searing steaks, adding body and depth to sauces and sauces, and frying French fries and chicken. Almost nothing is better crispy.
three of the best
Toast Iberian pork fat, £5 for 190g
city broth organic pork fat, £5.83 for 250g
Lard only, 75p for 250g, waiter.com
Lard also works wonders in pastries. Unlike butter, which is 80 to 85 percent fat, lard is 100 percent fat. It also has a higher melting point. This guarantees a lighter, flakier dough. Nicola Corderoauthor of Sifting: the elements of excellent baking (Ebury), considers cannoli the ideal showcase: “They are crunchy, light and rich at the same time.” She advises using butter in the puff pastry to retain that buttery flavor. But in other baked goods, shortening’s neutral flavor and enriching qualities mean “you get all those mouthfeel benefits while other ingredients shine.” It’s perfect for Portuguese pies where “you want those crispy layers, but because it’s combined with a tasty custard, it doesn’t matter if the dough doesn’t taste like butter.”
In addition to the health and cooking benefits, Burton advocates the value of using lard from a quality source. “If you’ve gone to the trouble of sourcing ethical meat, it makes sense to use a cooking medium with the same values.” Westcombe lard was developed with the desire to “waste no life” and utilize every part of the animal. Other versions include ToastIberian Pork Fat (£5.00 for 190g), made by a ham producer in Extremadura, and city brothOrganic Grass-Fed Pork Fat (£5.83 for 250g as part of a pack).
“The most important thing,” Burton says, “is for people who know how to cook to make things with lard and let people eat them.” On my wish list are the shortbread cakes that pastry chef Anna Higham wants to present in quince bakery in Islington, along with traditional Aberdeen oatmeal cakes and butters made with lard, and fried lard donuts being developed in Small food bakery in Nottingham. I really want to try the onions simmered in butter with tomato in friggione, a Bolognese specialty served with pasta in Butter in Shoreditch, where you can also get a fried pastry made with lard known as gnocco fritto. But nothing rivals Nuno Mendes’ signature dessert. Lisbon on Charlotte Street: a port-infused pork fat custard known as Abade de Priscos, which is airy, rich and intoxicating. If that doesn’t convert you, nothing will.