Lard

The Lost Art of Cooking with Your Grandmothers Secret Ingredient

by Editors of Grit Magazine

Price: $24.99
ISBN-13: 9781449409746
ISBN-10: 1449409741
Format: Paperback
Size: 7.5 x 9 in.
Page Count: 272 pages

Lard is now touted by dietitians because it contains only 54 percent of the saturated fat found in butter and is free of trans fats when rendered with care. Chefs and home cooks love it because it’s the secret to turning out stellar Beef Wellington, flaky biscuits, fluffy pancakes, and crispy fried chicken that would make grandma proud.

Lard provides a hearty helping of sides, main dishes, and desserts culled from more than 100 years of GRIT. They include:

• Spanish Corn Bread
• Oven Fried Sweet Potato Fries
• Butterscotch Peach Pie
• Iced Cinnamon Rolls
• Fried Okra
• Chicken and Dumplings

Don’t be afraid to bring a little lard to the table; your tastebuds will be glad you did.

Serves 4

Enjoy the taste of the Maryland seashore, even when fresh crabmeat isn’t an option. Whip up a homemade tartar sauce with mayonnaise and diced sweet pickles. Or for a lighter version, use equal parts sour cream and mayo, a pinch of minced shallots or onions, and some fresh aromatic herbs of your choice (cilantro, dill, basil, and tarragon are all delicious).

1 (6.5-ounce) can crabmeat, drained
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped green onion (white and green parts)
Salt and black pepper
Lard, for frying

In a large bowl, place the crabmeat, bread crumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and onion. Season with salt and pepper; mix well. Shape into 4 equal-sized patties. (If more moisture is needed to form patties, add a dash of melted lard.)

In a large skillet, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Fry the patties 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10

This cake came about during the 1950s when soda pop (just “pop” in the Midwest) was the occasional special treat rather than an everyday beverage. Substitute with your favorite pop—grape, orange, lemon-lime—to create variations.

3/4 cup lard, plus more for greasing the pans
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7-ounce) bottle strawberry soda pop
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten

FROSTING
2 tablespoons lard, softened
Pinch of salt
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (12-ounce) bottle or can strawberry soda pop

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease two 9-inch cake pans with lard; dust lightly with flour and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the lard and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on low speed. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add the flour mixture and the strawberry pop to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the nuts; fold in the egg whites.

Distribute the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

To prepare the frosting, combine the lard, salt, confectioners’ sugar, and just enough strawberry pop to moisten the mixture; blend well until smooth and creamy. To frost the cake, place one layer on a cake stand and frost, using an offset spatula. Position the second layer atop the first and repeat.