Lard—the renderings of pig fat—often carries with it the negative connotation of a high-fat, high-cholesterol additive that makes pie crusts flakey and our bellies plump. But as today’s cooks hide in fear from vicious trans fats, lard is starting to be seen in a different light.
Upon closer examination, we see that lard doesn’t add many extra calories beyond alternative cooking fats, like olive oil, and it’s high in vitamin D, a helpful dietary supplement in beating the winter blues. (Nothing cures the winter doldrums like a vitamin-D rich pumpkin pie crust, does it?)
And the beauty of lard is that its uses go beyond the kitchen and can be used in making soap and candles, as a burn treatment or moisturizer, or for fueling oil lamps. Yes, lard is a modern marvel, and one you shouldn’t dismiss so quickly from your pantry.
To learn more about lard and what it can bring to your cooking, take a look at the infographic below.
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Click for Larger View
Get more food-prep infographics from HobbyFarms.com:
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- Serve Up a Hobby Farms Thanksgiving
