Most people still know lard from their grandma’s kitchen. Lard is a very pure fat, which is usually made from the animal fat of pigs or geese, which is produced during slaughtering. As Schmalzstulle, the melted fat is a real classic, but it is also very suitable for frying and baking hearty dishes.
This is what you should know about lard
The consumption of lard is neither beneficial to the figure nor to health: lard consists of pure fat, which in turn is primarily composed of the less healthy saturated fatty acids. Lard is usually the fat left over from slaughtering pigs or poultry such as geese, which is first ground and then allowed to melt. Melting can take place in the industry under pressure already at low temperatures or over hot steam. The result of the melting process for all types is a rather softer, but spreadable fat. Harder animal fat, on the other hand, is known as tallow. The best-known example of this is beef tallow. Because lard is more spreadable at warmer temperatures, it is consumed as a spread primarily in summer. Originally, lard was created before the days of the refrigerator with the intention of making fat more durable by heating it. In addition, thanks to the production of lard, the resulting slaughter fats find a useful use, leaving less animal waste during slaughtering. It is easy to tell which animal the lard comes from by its color: While pork lard is white, goose lard has a yellowish tint. In addition, goose lard is much softer than pork lard, even almost liquid at room temperature, and is therefore often mixed with pork lard when it is to be used as a spread. In terms of taste, lard is reminiscent of the meat of the animal in question. If dishes are cooked in lard, they take on the respective flavor to a certain extent. Lard is especially popular and particularly available in Bavaria. So-called “Flomenschmalz” also comes from the pig, but is made exclusively from fat from the intestines and is particularly fine. The widely known “Griebenschmalz” is normal lard to which solid pieces of tissue such as the fried bacon cubes of the pig or the pieces of goose skin have been added. These solid pieces of fat are called the eponymous “greaves”. Lard can be flavored in a variety of ways. Onion lard and apple lard are widely used, and herbs such as thyme or marjoram also work well as an additional flavoring for lard. So that vegetarians can also enjoy lard products, vegetarian lard made from vegetable oils also came onto the market. They are based on vegetable fats that contain the highest possible proportion of saturated fatty acids. These include coconut oil and palm oil in particular. Vegetarian lard is particularly often flavored with onions or apples. In addition, clarified butter, that is, butter carefully heated and clarified from water and proteins, also belongs to the group of lard in the broadest sense and is particularly versatile in the kitchen due to its more neutral taste.
Importance for health
The consumption of lard is not beneficial to the figure or health: lard consists of pure fat, which in turn is composed primarily of the less healthy saturated fatty acids. The high fat content makes lard a real calorie bomb. The composition of fatty acids in vegetarian lard is somewhat more favorable, as it contains fewer saturated fatty acids. Nevertheless, vegetarian lard is not less caloric than animal lard.
Ingredients and nutritional values
| Nutritional information |
Amount per 100 gram |
| Calories 902 | Fat content 100 g |
| Cholesterol 95 mg |
Sodium 0 mg |
| Carbohydrates 0 g | |
| Dietary fiber 0 g | Protein 0 g |
In 100 grams of pure lard from pork or goose, the approximately 100 grams of fat contain about 39 grams of saturated fatty acids and 11 grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the following vitamins and minerals are contained in lard, albeit in small quantities. The values given are also based on 100 grams of pure, animal lard:
- 0.0025g salt
- 0.01mg vitamin A
- 0.02mg vitamin B6
- 1.61mg vitamin E
- 0.1mg iron
- 1mg magnesium
- 0.1mg zinc
Intolerances and allergies
There are no known allergies to lard per se. However, the fats it contains, especially saturated fatty acids, can in the long term cause the typical health problems associated with high fat consumption. These include cardiovascular diseases in particular. In addition, vegetarians should keep in mind that lard is an animal product.
Shopping and kitchen tips
Due to the heating of the animal fat used in its production, lard has an almost unlimited shelf life. Even outside the refrigerator, at least pure lard can be stored very well. In the past, the long shelf life was even the only reason for which the fat used was melted. Lard has a particularly long shelf life. Vegetarian lard or those with additives such as onions or apples, on the other hand, can go rancid or spoil and are therefore best kept in the refrigerator. Lard is available both in supermarkets and butchers. If you don’t want to dig too deep into your pocket, you should go for pork lard. This is significantly cheaper than goose lard. In principle, lard can also be produced in a few steps. For this purpose, the respective fats only need to be melted in a pot at low heat and seasoned as desired.
Preparation tips
Lard smeared on a slice of bread is a true classic. The so-called “Schmalz-Stulle” already has a long tradition, but still enjoys great popularity. In Bavaria in particular, lard is a popular spread on special occasions. Schmalz tastes especially good on a slice of rustic gray bread. A beer as a drink with it is always a good choice in terms of taste. In addition, radishes, often made into a salad, are a popular accompaniment to the lard sandwich. In addition to being used as a spread, animal lard is also suitable for frying, and clarified butter is even suitable for roasting and deep-frying. This property makes lard an optimal fat for making hearty dishes. Dishes prepared in clarified butter have the most neutral taste. Lard is also very suitable for baking, both savory and sweet dishes. Lard can be heated to a comparatively high temperature, as its so-called smoke point is higher than that of many other fats. However, lard also has a stronger inherent flavor than many other fats. In particular, vegetables such as cabbage acquire a subtle flavor when sautéed in lard.