In Praise of Lard

[Handlebars]

Improves some recipes. Anyone stuck on olive oil needs might want to try some old fashioned cooking for a change. Best ever fried potatoes.

Here's a trick I learned through chance. Using a steel frying pan, I had just rinsed, I added lard to melt and then added thick potato slices just rinsed. Lots of spluttering from water droplets now in the lard, so I covered the slices with a flat pot lid smaller than the pan diameter, which lets the steam out. Just fry as normally, but watch out for the splutters, they go for a long time. The slices don't stick and they cook perfectly through by the time they brown to golden perfection. Just watch out for the splutters as you turn them. They only sting but who needs that?

Deep fried Haddock and chips was like being in the old times again...batter perfect and delicious.
I'm going for some different breads next.
Got any recipes?

 

[Westlafadeaway]

My wife sadly would smell the lard and I'd have to put up with her complaints.... so no lard for me.

I was a big cast iron pan guy and potatoes do great in cast iron. Until about 2 months ago I'd argue to use cast iron. But I've seen the light and become a true believer of carbon steel now. I've watched nearly every cooking show on Amazon prime and on TV, and one of them went into detail on using carbon steel. If you have $30 to burn on a pan, I heartily recommend. It has a lot of weight, it is really hard to burn things, and I did a pan fried salmon that literally was crispy with very little oil. https://www.thekitchn.com/best-carbon-steel-skillet-23045823

I got mine half off through Macy's- I couldn't find it to show you here but it was only $23 last month.

You season it by coating it in a little oil, bringing it up to smoking, then turn off and let cool completely. Repeat 10 times and you'll fry an egg in it. You should do this with the steel pan too.

 

[WattsUpDude]

 

[indianajo]

My grandfather used to take home baked biscuits & lard to lunch in the mine. He died in 1938. Having eaten deer, I see pork as a great improvement. I'm probably 3 generations from an all deer groundhog & squirrel, not much carbohydrates, diet. WVa mountaineers, the kind that didn't own the land but lived off it. Not pork in excess, we Americans are dieing of excess. I've cut serum chloresterol from 215 to 155 by cutting meat to 2 oz a day. But once a month I buy a sausage or some pork chops, and the drippings are used to fry my pancakes (sugar free) until they are gone.

 

[ChezCheese:)]

Lard is great if you raise your own porkers, but not the industrial lard you buy at the supermarket. Lots of chemicals collect in the fat, so factory raised industrial lard will not be a good thing. But real lard from real farm pigs is great stuff. My grandmother swore by it for pastry.

 

[Handlebars]

My grandfather used to take home baked biscuits & lard to lunch in the mine. He died in 1938. Having eaten deer, I see pork as a great improvement. I'm probably 3 generations from an all deer groundhog & squirrel, not much carbohydrates, diet. WVa mountaineers, the kind that didn't own the land but lived off it. Not pork in excess, we Americans are dieing of excess. I've cut serum chloresterol from 215 to 155 by cutting meat to 2 oz a day. But once a month I buy a sausage or some pork chops, and the drippings are used to fry my pancakes (sugar free) until they are gone.

Now that I've gone on the Lard Diet, I thought it might be interesting to look up what that cholesterol number means. There is some complexity to it - there's the 3 kinds involved, one labelled "good" and 2 called "bad". The basic takeaway seemed to be that it's hard to get the good cholesterol too high and hard to get the bad cholesterol too low. Seems you want to have High Density or HDL as high as possible with rare exceptions. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11920-cholesterol-numbers-what-do-they-mean

Table 1: Target cholesterol levels by age and sex

Total cholesterol	Non-HDL cholesterol	LDL cholesterol	HDL cholesterol
Men aged 20 years and older	125 mg/dL to 200 mg/dL	Less than 130 mg/dL	Less than 100 mg/dL	40 mg/dL or higher

�

Age and sex	Total cholesterol	Non-HDL cholesterol	LDL cholesterol

Men aged 20 years and older

Borderline: 200-239 mg/dL High: Greater than or equal to 239 mg/dL

High: Greater than 130 mg/dL

Near optimal or above optimal: 100-129 mg/dL Borderline high: 130-159 mg/dL High: 160-189 mg/dL Very high: Greater than 189 mg/dL

I don't know what my cholesterols are, but my resting blood pressure is always perfect. I think that's why I'm a calming influence.

 

[Handlebars]

I think having the little bit of water droplets in the pan and on the potato slices is keeping the potato slices from sticking to the pan. My theory is that it's exploding into steam underneath the slices and keeping them up off the pan and cooking them through at the same time.

 

[Westlafadeaway]

I think having the little bit of water droplets in the pan and on the potato slices is keeping the potato slices from sticking to the pan. My theory is that it's exploding into steam underneath the slices and keeping them up off the pan and cooking them through at the same time.

This is a little long but I wanted to share my approach to hash browns. I have a culinary degree and go way overboard on technique, at least that is what my wife says.

I think you would be better off not adding the water here. Your pan should be hot enough so any water evaporates. There is also plenty of moisture in the taters that is generated if you leave a lid on. Remember if you put too much oil in the pan, you are boiling/poaching in oil. The problem with potatoes is that there is a layer of starch on the potato (which helps make it crispy so don't wash it off). If there is not enough fat in the pan to act as a barrier between the food product/starch and pan, the starch clings to the pan, you shake the pan and the starch is stuck and it burns. So it takes practice to get the right amount of oil so they are crispy and not oily. A heavy pan really helps here to use less oil and develop crunch without burning- thin metal is horrible. I avoid using non-stick pans because it's a long high heat process and the chemicals in the nonstick pan worry me. I own one small nonstick pan, for eggs, but even then I have a heavy carbon steel pan that can fry an egg better than an old nonstick, so I use nonstick less and less.

How I would do it:

• heat pan on medium heat, add oil. I usually use olive oil.
• Just before it smokes, add potatoes.
• add kosher salt (not pepper - pepper will burn so add towards end) immediately.
• After getting the potatoes arranged to maximize contact with pan and get the salt dispersed, put a lid on it. The pan will do 2 things: 1) decrease cook time, and 2) the steam will help loosen stuck potatoes and moisten up the starch to reduce sticking later.
• Wait a few minutes before disturbing the potatoes again.
• Learn to use your sense of smell- there is a distinct smell between yummy roasted potatoes and burnt potatoes. Learn to identify that smell. When you bake you should do the same thing- the smell of fully cooked bread is very different to slightly undercooked bread. My baking chef wouldn't tell us how long the recipe took - we had to smell it. So use your nose more than your eyes for this step.
• When your nose says to look, take the lid off and move the potatoes around. In theory, the potatoes should move around pretty easily. If they are stuck you used too high a heat or too little oil, you took the lid off too early, or your pan's thickness is too light and the heat is not radiating heat.
• The potatoes should be wet but not swimming- I continually add a little bit of oil several times during the cooking to just keep them wet. Depending on what I am eating with them, I might add a little butter.
• If my potatoes are large cut or I'm rushed, I leave the lid on a little longer. If I want extra crispy potatoes, I take the lid off sooner to avoid steam. Usually I cut smaller to reduce cooking time, like thumbnail size
• At this point the starch on the outside is steamed, the potato is well coated in oil, and shouldn't stick anymore.
• Once they are almost cooked through, I taste for salt, add the black pepper, paprika, cayenne, raw onions, (garlic when potatoes are 1 minute of time remaining), when onions are just starting to get soft I add whatever peppers I might be using, especially jalapenos, and maybe some herbs.

 

[Handlebars]

I leave a lid on top of the slices that is smaller than pan's lid so the steam escapes after surrounding the taters. Generous amount of lard used, not a thin coat.
Taste is superb, texture wonderful, and no sticking.
Never had all those before.
No try means ya don't find out!

 

[Handlebars]

I usually use olive oil.

Then you aren't using grapeseed oil. I recommend that, if you want to use an oil.
For baking it turns golden, not real brown. T.H.E. best. The scent, the flavor, the texture, the color, the cost, all better than olive.
And check the healthiness profile. The winner. They even make extracts of it.
But for some things, lard is king.

 

[Westlafadeaway]

Grapeseed oil is good, but I don't use enough of it before it goes rancid, so buying a little bottle is expensive. Walnut oil is also delish- we used to make a warm potato salad with it and sherry vinaigrette that was awesome.

When I went to culinary school, they really hyped things like grapeseed oil for having a higher burn temp and nutrients, but now the real benefits of using it over other options is really mixed, often science articles highlight that any benefits require high intake of the oil, that most of the beneficial properties get filtered out in the process, some of the most beneficial aspects are very heat sensitive, and that grapeseed oil is not very stable and the most positive benefits frequently cited for its use breakdown pretty quickly. So if you want to use it you should get unfiltered oil that still has trace amounts of the seed i nit- as the seeds carry a lot of the I like it, and applaud people who use it, but I look at it as a byproduct of wine making and they marketed/hyped it to help wineries make a buck.

Example: A 2016 article in the journal Nutrition and Metabolic Insights, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.4137/NMI.S32910 concluded:
Grape seed oil is a by-product of winemaking industry, with good benefits to human health. Numerous in vitro and in vivo evidences suggest cardioprotective and anticancer effects of grape seed oil. However, the amounts of lipophilic and hydrophilic grape seed oil constituents with cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities are small, requiring the consumption of a large amount of oil for beneficial effects to be achieved. With respect to clinical studies, most studies have an observational design and involve small sample sizes, and thus, caution must be exercised in the interpretation of the results. Further studies are needed on the beneficial effects of grape seed oil on human health and its use as an adjuvant agent in the prevention and treatment of chronicle diseases.

 

[Handlebars]

When I went to culinary school, they really hyped things like grapeseed oil for having a higher burn temp and nutrients, but now the real benefits of using it over other options is really mixed, often science articles highlight that any benefits require high intake of the oil, that most of the beneficial properties get filtered out in the process, some of the most beneficial aspects are very heat sensitive, and that grapeseed oil is not very stable and the most positive benefits frequently cited for its use breakdown pretty quickly.

But the higher burn temps are not in question. The nice light smell and taste are not in question. People make claims too big, always. If we talk about the claims for olive oil and the names given different products, the procedures and degradation involved with olive oil, also show up.
Not having any way to obtain direct knowledge of the actual health benefits means you and I can for the most part stick to which one makes better french fries and cakes.
Olive oil smells terrible and taste is not great. Let's say it's an acquired taste. Grape seed oil is beautiful.
And since higher burn temps are huge in not producing the carcinogens...it's difficult to not trust that it is generally better for health of the public.

 

[Westlafadeaway]

I'm sorry, you keep arguing. I was just putting in my two very professionally trained cents here. But ok. Oh, and: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/lif...ext=Grapeseed oil: Smoke point: 400 degrees F.

 

[Westlafadeaway]

And for completeness: here is the temps of a pan's surface when cooking, as explained by a professional: thechoppingblock.com/blog/how-to-properly-heat-your-pan-so-food-wont-stick

The temp of a medium pan is roughly 400 degrees f. Which is right at the smoking point of grapeseed oil but not nearly reaching the point of light olive oil. Thanks.

 

[Taylor57]

I am just so proud that we are chatting about Lard on EBR. I am a foodie, and love refried beans, and the best are only prepared w pig fat...

 

[Handlebars]

I'm sorry, you keep arguing. I was just putting in my two very professionally trained cents here. But ok. Oh, and: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/smoke-point-matters-in-cooking-with-oil/article26569060/#:~:text=Extra virgin olive oil: Smoke,high heat, and salad dressings.&text=Grapeseed oil: Smoke point: 400 degrees F.
View attachment 76289

Thank you. It's a nice discussion, in my opinion.
Light Olive Oil may be treated with chemical solvents and has healthful sought-after ingredients removed by the processes of chemicals or heat.
I'd say we haven't presented proper evidences.
Visually you can see how grapeseed oil makes bakery products golden, not as brown as most oils. Look how poorly most olive oil is rated by these sources:

NBC:
Made from the seeds of grapes that are normally discarded in the wine making process, the smoke point for grapeseed oil is about 420°F.Jul 24, 2019

The best oils to use for cooking, according to nutritionists​

www.nbcnews.com › better › lifestyle › best-oils-use-y

Wiki:

Template:Smoke point of cooking oils​

Olive oil	Extra virgin	190 °C	374 °F[14]
Olive oil	Extra virgin	160 °C	320 °F[3]

Healthline:

Some sources put the smoke point of olive oil somewhere around 374–405°F (190–207°C) (17). This makes it a safe choice for most cooking methods, including most pan frying. Extra virgin olive oil's smoke point is somewhere around 374–405°F (190–207°C).Nov 23, 2018

Edited to interest: http://anovaculinary.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cooking-oils-smoke-points-v2.pdf
Complete Guide to Cooking Oils & Smoke Points Oils & Fats Fahrenheit Celsius
Avocado Oil 520ºF 271ºC
Rice Bran Oil 490ºF 260ºC
Mustard Oil 490ºF 260ºC
Grapeseed Oil 485ºF 251ºC
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


Olive Oil, Extra Light 465ºF 240ºC
Beef Tallow 400ºF 205ºC
Lard 370ºF 195ºC
Olive Oil, Extra Virgin 331ºF 166ºC
Olive Oil, Virgin 320ºF 160ºC

And those 2 olive oils at the bottom are the most popular olive oils for health seekers to buy. Not a great choice for frying, IMO. Take your pick of who to believe. A Globe and Mail columnist? The culinary people don't seem to agree with her.

If you've got the essences of olive oil removed by processing into extra light olive oil, then why not just pick the better cooking/baking product for the eating?

Lard!
Thank you!

 

[Handlebars]

This is a little long but I wanted to share my approach to hash browns. I have a culinary degree and go way overboard on technique, at least that is what my wife says.

I think you would be better off not adding the water here.

I think you missed taking into account what the water does to lower the surface temperature as explosions of steam being taken out. My pan doesn't smoke and I don't burn stuff by using too high heat.
Not necessary - so don't do it! Pretty simple. More delicious.
Not trying it means ya don't find out!