Frying with lard instead of oil is healthier

[Chewbacca]

Lard is pork fat, and it began to fall out of favor for frying and baking in the early years of the 20th century when Upton Sinclair’s muckraking novel The Jungle exposed conditions in the meatpacking industry. The book included anecdotes of workers who fell into vats of molten pork fat and were sometimes overlooked for days until “all but the bones of them” went out to the world in packages of lard. Sinclair’s book led to the passage of the first pure food and drug laws in the United States and also to the decline of lard in everyday cooking.

In 1911, a few years after Sinclair’s sensational revelations, Crisco was introduced and touted as a healthy alternative. Crisco, like margarine, is a vegetable fat turned into a solid form at room temperature by the process of hydrogenation. This method also creates trans-fatty acids, which we now know increase total cholesterol, raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol. These unnatural compounds may also have adverse effects on cell membranes and the immune system, and may promote inflammation, cancer and accelerated aging.

After World War II, consumption of lard along with other animal fats dropped even more thanks to the conventional wisdom of the past 40 years that the saturated fats in our diets were a principal cause of high cholesterol and rising rates of heart disease. More recent research suggests that this isn’t so – a scientific analysis of 21 studies determined that there is no significant evidence that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease.

I doubt that the scientific rethinking of the contribution of saturated fat to heart disease is responsible for lard’s re-emergence as an acceptable cooking fat. That is probably due more to the influence of the well-known chefs who have been using it in their restaurants, as well as to recent efforts to preserve dwindling heirloom breeds of pigs and raise them sustainably.

Nutritionally speaking, lard has nearly one-fourth the saturated fat and more than twice the monounsaturated fat as butter. It is also low in omega-6 fatty acids, known to promote inflammation; according to lard enthusiasts free-range pigs that eat greens, not grains, have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Lard has always been prized as a cooking fat because it has a higher smoking point than other fats. For that reason, foods fried in lard absorb less grease. It also has the reputation of producing ultra-flaky pastry crust.

Cans of lard are available in supermarkets, but most of these products have been hydrogenated so they’ll last longer and are probably not what you want. The best lard is considered to be minimally processed “leaf lard” from the area around the pig’s abdomen and kidneys or fatback lard from the pig’s back. You can get these at high-end specialty markets or online.

- Dr. Weill

[SearChart]

I use quite a bit of lard for frying. Animal fats are essential for your body and to keep hormone levels healthy.

High fat, low carb is my jam.

[mountainjogger]

Interesting Chewie.

We save our bacon drippings. They last a very long time.

But there is still a place for Crisco. Not sure I want my blueberry muffins tasting like bacon.

[DonRickles]

The best cookies and pie crust are made with Crisco! Man, do I remember those my Great Aunt Gladys used to make!

[GB-man]

Our favorite local restaurant uses the whole pig extensively throughout the menu and the bread comes out with olive oil and also a tiny cup of seasoned lard.

It’s delicious. Hilariously last time we were there the woman at the table next to us asked the waiter why would anyone want to eat lard

[chunkythebulldog]

Can't beat lard for cooking chips with. My chip pan is about 80% lard and 20% dripping (mucky fat). Best chips ever.

When I was young we used to have dripping spread on a white loaf then doused in salt, the good old days when you didn't have to worry about cholesterol levels.

[swils8610]

Lard is amazing for baking and frying.


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[Bigblu10]

My Buffalo wings and fries are done in vegetable oil in my deep fryer. You guys can keep the lard. My homemade cookies are usually made with two full sticks of real butter.

[Chewbacca]

Going to try bringing it back in some recipes.

[Starmaker]

Lard makes the smoothest flour tortillas. Can't go back to anything else.

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by mountainjogger

Interesting Chewie.

We save our bacon drippings. They last a very long time.

But there is still a place for Crisco. Not sure I want my blueberry muffins tasting like bacon.

To each his own

[Jona]

I started reading "The Count of Monte Crisco" and it took me 2 hours to discover that it wasn't a cookbook. Had a similar problem with Ru Paul's "Drag Race." Watched for an hour and not a single car.

[Chester01]

I dont eat fried foods...ever. When I cook in high heat, which is rare, Avocado oil.

As for the studies, nutrition studies are very difficult to control as they rely on self-report data, and the findings vacillate wildly. The closer we eat to whole foods and more plants and less animal fats the better.