How to Make Lard

Oven Method

1. 
   1
   Preheat an oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (107 degrees Celsius). The oven needs to be set to a low temperature to prevent the fat from burning as it renders.
2. 
   2
   Pour a little water into a Dutch oven. Fill the pot with about 1/4 inch (0.625 cm) of cool to warm water.

   • 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.
3. 
   3
   Add the fat. Place the chopped or ground fat in the pot. Spread the pieces out evenly to ensure even rendering.
4. 
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   Place in the hot oven for several hours. Stir the fat every 20 to 30 minutes or so. Remove the pot from the oven once the chunks stop giving off fat.

   • 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.
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Slow Cooker Method

1. 
   1
   Add a little water to a slow cooker. ^[1] Pour the water directly into the bottom of the slow cooker, using 1/4 cup (60 ml) for every 4 qt (4 L) capacity or so.

   • 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.
2. 
   2
   Place the fat inside. Lay the pieces of pork fat inside the slow cooker, arranging them in even layers.

   • You'll need more than one layer, but the layers should still be even so that the pork fat renders evenly.
3. 
   3
   Set the slow cooker to low. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set the machine to low. Let it run for a full hour without opening it
4. 
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   Stir and continue rendering until done. After an hour, remove the lid and stir the fat. Continue rendering the fat with the lid off until done. ^[2]

   • 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.
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Stovetop Method

1. 
   1
   Place the fat in a large stockpot. Arrange the pieces of pork fat in a large stockpot, keeping them in even layers.

   • The more even your layers are, the easier it will be to render the fat at an even pace and prevent any from burning.
2. 
   2
   Add a little water. Pour roughly 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water over the fat inside the stockpot.

   • 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.
3. 
   3
   Cover and heat over low. Cover the stockpot and place it on a stove burner set to low heat. Allow the fat to render for about 30 minutes without disturbing it.

   • 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.
4. 
   4
   Heat on medium, stirring often, until done. ^[3] Remove the lid and give the fat a good stir. Increase the heat to medium, then continue rendering the fat for another hour or so.

   • 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.
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1. 
   1
   Let the lard cool. Remove the lard from the heat source and allow it to cool to a lukewarm temperature.

   • 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.
2. 
   2
   Remove any remaining chunks. Ladle the rendered fat through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solid pieces, leaving you with nothing but liquid lard.

   • 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.
3. 
   3
   Pour the lard into jars. Transfer the filtered lard into glass jars, then tightly twist a lid onto each jar.

   • 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.
4. 
   4
   Refrigerate the lard. You should store the lard in your refrigerator, keeping it there for as long as one month. In a cooled state, lard is soft but solid.

   • If you want to store the lard for as long as one year, place the jar of lard in your freezer, instead.
5. 
   5
   Use as you would use any other solid cooking fat. You can use lard in the same way you would use butter or shortening.

   • 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.
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