You can usually find a local farmer who raises pigs by asking around at your nearest farmer’s market. You can also try small “family run” butchers or specialty markets.
Back fat, also called fatback, comes from the back, shoulder, and rump of the pig and is located directly beneath the skin. It works well for sauteing and frying. Belly fat is rich and layered with meat. Bacon is actually cured pork belly. Rendered belly fat can also become lard used for frying, however. Leaf lard is fat located around the pig’s kidneys. It is the cleanest fat and is the most suitable if you want to make lard used for pastries and baked goods.
The pieces should be at least this small. The smaller they are, the easier it will be to render lard from them. Cut away as much meat and skin from the fat as you dice it, as well. Also note that it will be easiest to cut the fat if it has been chilled or partially frozen beforehand.
Alternatively, you could put the lard cubes into a food processor and slightly pulse them into shreds. Use no more than a handful at a time, however, since you could wear the motor out if you stress it with too much. You could skip the cutting and grinding process completely by asking the farmer or butcher to grind the fat down before you take it home.
The water prevents the fat from browning too quickly at the start of the process. As the fat continues to cook, the water will evaporate, so it should not affect the quality of your lard. Use a cast iron Dutch oven for best results. If you do not have one, another deep, oven-safe pot would also suffice.
This process will usually take at least two hours. That amount of time will increase depending on the size of your pot and the amount of fat you choose to render. It will likely be obvious once the fat has been rendered off. If you think the chunks look the same way they did 40 to 60 minutes earlier, you’ve probably gotten as much fat from them as possible.
The water prevents the fat from burning as it melts down. Since it will evaporate out, the water will not damage the quality of the lard.
You’ll need more than one layer, but the layers should still be even so that the pork fat renders evenly.
After the first hour, you should check on the fat every 20 to 30 minutes to make sure that it is not burning. Stir each time you check it. You may wish to ladle out some of the liquid fat throughout the process. Doing so can make it easier for the rest of the solid fat to melt down. The fat is ready once the cracklings (crisp residue) begin sinking to the bottom of the slow cooker. These cracklings should still be soft, however, and not crispy. The entire process will usually take two to eight hours, depending on the size of your slow cooker and the amount of fat being rendered.
The more even your layers are, the easier it will be to render the fat at an even pace and prevent any from burning.
You only need a little water. The water can help prevent the fat from burning during the initial stages, and it will evaporate from the stockpot as the fat continues to heat up.
The fat will only begin to partially melt during this time. The solid chunks will look more translucent, and some liquid will start to come off.
Keep a close eye on the fat to make sure that it does not burn. You may want to remove and strain some of the rendered fat as it melts down. Doing so can help the rest of the fat melt down quicker. The fat should be ready once the leftover cracklings start sinking and becoming crispy.
It is very important that you wait until the lard has a chance to cool slightly before pouring it into glass jars. Hot lard can cause the glass to weaken, crack, or break.
Alternatively, pour the fat through a paper coffee filter wedged inside of a cone or funnel, or through a piece of cheesecloth draped inside a colander. You can pour the lard into a separate bowl or directly into your intended storage containers.
If the jars feel warm to the touch, let them sit out on your counter for another few hours until the sides feel cool. The idea is to make the temperature change as subtle as possible to prevent that glass from becoming damaged.
If you want to store the lard for as long as one year, place the jar of lard in your freezer, instead.
If you want to use the lard in a recipe that usually calls for oil, you will need to melt it down into a liquid form.
