Lard
Wet-rendered lard, from pork fatback.
Fat composition
Saturated fats	38–43 %: Palmitic acid: 25–28 % Stearic acid: 12–14 % Myristic acid: 1 %
Unsaturated fats	56–62 %
Monounsaturated fats	47–50%: Oleic acid: 44–47 % Palmitoleic acid: 3 %
Polyunsaturated fats	Linoleic acid: 6–10 % [1] [2]
Properties
Food energy per 100g	3770 kJ (900 kcal)
Melting point	backfat: 30–40 °C (86–104 °F) leaf fat: 43–48 °C (110–118 °F) mixed fat: 36–45 °C (97–113 °F)
Smoke point	121-218 °C (250–425 °F)
Specific gravity at 20 °C	0. Saturated fat is Fat that consists of Triglycerides containing only saturated Fatty acids Explanation Fat that occurs Palmitic acid,CH3(CH214COOH or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated Fatty acids found in animals Stearic acid (first syllable rhymes with either bear or gear) ( IUPAC Systematic name: octadecanoic acid) is a saturated Myristic acid, also called tetradecanoic acid, is a common saturated Fatty acid with the molecular formula CH3(CH212COOH An unsaturated fat is a Fat or Fatty acid in which there are one or more Double bonds in the fatty acid chain For discussion how dietary fats affect cardiovascular health see Diet and heart disease. Oleic acid is a Monounsaturated omega-9 Fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable sources Palmitoleic acid, or ( Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid is an omega-7 monounsaturated Fatty acid that is a common constituent of the Glycerides In nutrition polyunsaturated fat is an abbreviation of polyunsaturated Fatty acid. Linoleic acid (LA is an unsaturated Omega-6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid Food energy is the amount of Energy in food that is available through Digestion. The melting point of a solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to Liquid. The smoke point refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat or oil begins to break down Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the Density of a given solid or liquid substance to the density of water at a specific temperature and pressure typically 917–0. 938
Iodine value	45–75
Acid value	3. The iodine value (or "iodine adsorption value" or "iodine number" or "iodine index" in Chemistry is the mass of Iodine in grams that In Chemistry, acid value (or "neutralization number" or "acid number" or "acidity" is the mass of Potassium hydroxide (KOH in 4
Saponification value	190–205
Unsaponifiable	0. Saponification value (or "saponification number" also referred to as "sap" in short represents the number of milligrams of Potassium hydroxide or Unsaponifiables are components of an Oil, Fat, Wax, etc that do not saponify. 8 % [2]

Lard refers to pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. The domestic Pig (or in some areas hog) is normally given the scientific name Sus scrofa scrofa, though some taxonomists use the term Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water Rendering is a process that converts waste animal tissue into stable value-added materials Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Cooking oil is purified Fat of Plant or Animal origin which is liquid at room temperature Shortening is a semisolid Fat used in food preparation especially baked goods and is so called because it promotes a "short" or crumbly texture (as in Shortbread A spread is a food that is spread with a knife onto Bread, crackers, or other bread products Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated fat content and its often negative image; however, many contemporary cooks and bakers favor it over other fats for select uses. Saturated fat is Fat that consists of Triglycerides containing only saturated Fatty acids Explanation Fat that occurs The culinary qualities of lard vary somewhat depending on the part of the pig from which the fat was taken and how the lard was processed. Lard is still commonly used to manufacture soap. SOAP (see below for name and origins is a protocol for exchanging XML -based messages over Computer networks normally using

Lard production

Lard can be obtained from any part of the pig as long as there is a high concentration of fatty tissue. The highest grade of lard, known as leaf lard, is obtained from the "flare" fat deposit surrounding the kidneys and inside the loin. The kidneys are complicated organs that have numerous biological roles The loins are the sides between the lower Ribs and Pelvis, and the lower part of the Back. The next highest grade of lard is obtained from fatback, the hard fat between the back skin and flesh of the pig. Fatback is the layer of fat along the back of a Pig, used as a cut of Meat. The lowest grade (for purposes of rendering into lard) is obtained from the soft caul fat surrounding digestive organs, such as small intestines, though caul fat is often used directly as a wrapping for roasting lean meats or in the manufacture of pâtés. A caul ( Latin: Caput galeatum, literally "head helmet" is a thin filmy membrane, the Amniotic sac, that covers or partly covers In Biology the small Intestine is the part of the Gastrointestinal tract (gut between the Stomach and the Large intestine, and comprises Pâté (French pronunciation; RP pronunciation; General American pronunciation) ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Lard may be rendered by either of two processes, wet rendering or dry rendering. Rendering is a process that converts waste animal tissue into stable value-added materials In wet rendering, pig fat is boiled in water or steamed at a high temperature and the lard, which is insoluble in water, is skimmed off of the surface of the mixture, or it is separated in an industrial centrifuge. A centrifuge is a piece of equipment generally driven by a motor that puts an object in Rotation around a fixed axis, applying a force perpendicular to the axis In dry rendering, the fat is exposed to high heat in a pan or oven without the presence of water (a process similar to frying bacon). The two processes yield somewhat differing products. Wet-rendered lard has a more neutral flavor, a lighter color, and a high smoke point. The smoke point refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat or oil begins to break down Dry-rendered lard is somewhat more browned in color and flavor and has relatively lower smoke point. ^{[6] [7]}

Industrially-produced lard, including much of the lard sold in supermarkets, is rendered from a mixture of high and low quality fat sources from throughout the pig. ^[8] It is typically hydrogenated (which produces trans fats as a byproduct), and often treated with bleaching and deodorizing agents, emulsifiers, and antioxidants, such as BHT. Hydrogenation is the Chemical reaction that results in addition of Hydrogen (H2 Trans fat is the common name for a type of Unsaturated fat with trans - isomer Fatty acid (s An emulsion ( IPA: /ɪˈmʌlʃən/ is a mixture of two Immiscible (unblendable liquids An antioxidant is a Molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT also known as Butylhydroxytoluene, is a Lipophilic (fat-soluble Organic compound that is primarily used as an ^{[4] [9]} Such treatment makes lard shelf stable. In the Food processing industry shelf stable means that a typically refrigerated product has been altered so it can be safely stored and sold in sealed container at room temperature (Untreated lard must be refrigerated or frozen to prevent rancidity. )^{[10] [11]}

Consumers seeking a higher-quality source of lard typically seek out artisanal producers of rendered lard, or render it themselves from leaf lard or fatback. ^{[8] [11] [12] [13] [14]}

A byproduct of dry-rendering lard is deep-fried meat, skin and membrane tissue known as cracklings. Deep frying is a Cooking method in which food is submerged in hot oil or Fat. Pork rind (known as pork scratchings in the United Kingdom, and pork crackle in Australia) is the skin of a Pig. ^[4]

History and cultural use

Unrendered lard, being diced to prepare tourtière. A tourtière is a Meat pie originating from Quebec, usually made with ground Pork and/or Veal, or Beef.

Lard has always been an important cooking and baking staple in cultures where pork is an important dietary item, the fat of pigs often being as valuable a product as their meat. Pork' is the Culinary name for Meat from the domestic Pig ( Sus scrofa) often specifically the fresh meat but can be used as an all-inclusive ^[4] Similarly, it is also prohibited by dietary laws that forbid the consumption of pork, such as kashrut and halal. Taboo food and drinks are food and drink which people abstain from consuming for religious or cultural reasons Religious restrictions on the consumption of pork exist in both the Muslim and Jewish dietary laws, making it a taboo meat. Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus, he כַּשְׁרוּת refers to Jewish dietary laws. Halal (حلال ḥalāl, halaal) is an Arabic term meaning permissible.

During the 19th century, lard was used in a similar fashion as butter in North America and many European nations. Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Lard was also held at the same level of popularity as butter in the early 20th century and was widely used as a substitute for butter during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including As a readily available by-product of modern pork production, lard had been cheaper and more flavorful than most vegetable oils, and it was common in many people's diet until the industrial revolution made vegetable oils more common and more affordable. A by-product is a secondary or incidental product deriving from a Manufacturing process a Chemical reaction or a biochemical pathway and is not the primary product The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Vegetable shortenings were developed in the early 1900s, which made it possible to use vegetable-based fats in baking and in other uses where solid fats were called for. Shortening is a semisolid Fat used in food preparation especially baked goods and is so called because it promotes a "short" or crumbly texture (as in Shortbread

Toward the late 20th century, lard began to be regarded as less healthy than vegetable oils (such as olive and sunflower oil) because of its high saturated fatty acid and cholesterol content. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees The sunflower ( Helianthus annuus) is an Annual plant in the family Asteraceae and native to the Americas, with a large flowering However, despite its reputation, lard has less saturated fat, more unsaturated fat, and less cholesterol than an equal amount of butter by weight. An unsaturated fat is a Fat or Fatty acid in which there are one or more Double bonds in the fatty acid chain Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. ^[2] Unlike many margarines and vegetable shortenings, unhydrogenated lard contains no trans fat. Trans fat is the common name for a type of Unsaturated fat with trans - isomer Fatty acid (s Despite its similar chemical constituency and lower saturated fat content than butter, lard typically incites much consternation and disapproval from many people in the English-speaking world. This may stem from attitudes and the perceived nature of the source animal for lard, or the methods required to obtain the fat from its source. It is also based on the image of lard as a "poverty food". ^[4]

Many restaurants in the western nations have eliminated the use of lard in their kitchens because of the religious and health-related dietary restrictions of many of their customers. Many industrial bakers substitute beef tallow for lard in order to compensate for the lack of mouthfeel in many baked goods and free their food products from pork-based dietary restrictions. Tallow is a rendered form of Beef or Mutton Fat, processed from Suet. Mouthfeel is a product’s physical and Chemical interaction in the mouth

However, in the 1990s and early 2000s, the unique culinary properties of lard became widely recognized by chefs and bakers, leading to a partial rehabilitation of this fat among "foodies". Foodie is an informal term for a particular class of aficionado of Food and Drink. This trend has been partially driven by negative publicity about the trans fat content of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in vegetable shortening. Hydrogenation is the Chemical reaction that results in addition of Hydrogen (H2 Chef and food writer Rick Bayless is a prominent proponent of the virtues of lard for certain types of cooking. Rick Bayless (born November 23 1953 is an American Chef who specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine with modern interpretations ^{[12] [13] [14] [15]}

It is also again becoming popular in the United Kingdom among aficionados of traditional British cuisine. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This led to a "lard crisis" in early 2006 in which British demand for lard was not met due to demand by Poland and Hungary (who had recently joined the European Union) for fatty cuts of pork that had served as an important source of lard. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^{[16] [17]}

Culinary use

A slice of bread spread with lard was a typical staple in traditional rural cuisine of many countries.

Lard is one of the few edible oils with a relatively high smoke point, attributable to its high saturated fatty acids content. The smoke point refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat or oil begins to break down Saturated fat is Fat that consists of Triglycerides containing only saturated Fatty acids Explanation Fat that occurs Pure lard is especially useful for cooking since it produces little smoke when heated and has a distinct taste when combined with other foods. Many chefs and bakers deem lard a superior cooking fat or shortening because of lard's range of applications and taste. A chef is a person who cooks professionally In a professional kitchen setting the term is used only for the one person in charge of everyone else in the kitchen the executive This article refers to the cooking profession For other uses see Baker (disambiguation A baker is someone who primarily Bakes

Because of the relatively large fat crystals found in lard, it is extremely effective as a shortening in baking. Baking is the technique of prolonged Cooking of Food by dry heat acting by conduction, and not by radiation, normally in an Oven, Pie crusts made with lard tend to be more flaky than those made with butter. A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a Pastry dough shell that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or Savoury ingredients Many cooks employ both types of fat in their pastries to combine the shortening properties of lard with the flavor of butter. This article describes Pastry in food For the Distributed Hash Table system see Pastry_(DHT. ^{[4] [18] [19]}

Lard was once widely used in the cuisines of Europe, China, and the New World and still plays a significant role in British, Central European, Mexican, and Chinese cuisines. British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom. European cuisine, or alternatively Western cuisine is a generalized term collectively referring to the Cuisines of Europe and other Western countries Mexican food is a style of food that originated in Mexico. Mexican cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors colorful decoration and variety of spices Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in In British cuisine, lard is used as a traditional ingredient in mince pies and Christmas puddings, lardy cake and for frying fish and chips, as well as many other uses. Lardy cake also known as Lardy bread, Lardy Johns, Dough cake or Fourses cake is a traditional Bread from England. Fish and chips (sometimes written " fish ’n’ chips " is a popular Take-away food originating from the United Kingdom. ^{[16] [17]}

Lard consumed as a spread on bread was once very common in Europe and North America, especially those areas where dairy fats and vegetable oils were rare. A spread is a food that is spread with a knife onto Bread, crackers, or other bread products Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water. ^[4]

Lard generally refers to wet-rendered lard in English, which is has a very mild, neutral flavor, as opposed to the more noticeably pork flavored dry rendered lard, which is also referred to as dripping or schmalz. Dripping (or "schmalz") sandwiches are still popular in several European countries - in Hungary they're known as "Zsíroskenyér" or "Zsírosdeszka", and in Germany pork fat is seasoned to make "Schmalzbrot". Similar snacks are sometimes served with beer in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. They are generally topped with onions, served with salt and paprika, and eaten as a side-dish with beer. All of these are commonly translated on menus as "lard" sandwiches, perhaps due to the lack of familiarity of of most contemporary English native speakers with dripping. Attempts to use Hungarian "Zsir" or Polish "Smalec" in British recipes calling for lard will soon reveal the difference between the wet-rendered lard and dripping. ^{[20] [21]} In Taiwan, Hong Kong as well as many parts of China, lard was often consumed mixed into cooked rice along with soy sauce to make "lard rice" (豬油拌飯 or 豬油撈飯). Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Soy sauce ( US) soya sauce ( Commonwealth) shoyu ( Japan) or sillao ( Peru) is a fermented Sauce This is less commonly served in modern times due to concerns with saturated fats.

Other uses

Rendered lard can be used to produce biofuel ^[22] and soap. SOAP (see below for name and origins is a protocol for exchanging XML -based messages over Computer networks normally using Lard is also useful as a cutting fluid in machining. Cutting fluids are various fluids that are used in Machining to cool and lubricate the cutting tool Conventional Machining, one of the most important material removal methods is a collection of material-working processes in which power-driven Machine tools, such as lathes Its use in machining has declined since the mid-20th century as other specially engineered cutting fluids became prominent. However, it is still a viable option.

Nutritional and chemical properties

(See infoboxes for exact values. )

Pigs that have been fed different diets will have lard with a significantly different fatty acid content and iodine number. In Chemistry, especially Biochemistry, a fatty acid is a Carboxylic acid often with a long unbranched Aliphatic tail ( chain) which The iodine value (or "iodine adsorption value" or "iodine number" or "iodine index" in Chemistry is the mass of Iodine in grams that Peanut-fed hogs or the acorn-fed pigs raised for Jamón ibérico therefore produce a somewhat different kind of lard compared to pigs raised in North American farms that are fed corn. Jamón ibérico is a type of Jamón, a cured Ham produced only in Spain and Portugal (when produced in Portugal it is known as ^{[2] [23]}

Similar fats

Cooking fat obtained from cattle or sheep is known as suet or tallow. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Suet (/ˈsuːɪt/ is raw Beef or mutton Fat, especially the hard fat found around the Loins and Kidneys Suet has a Melting Tallow is a rendered form of Beef or Mutton Fat, processed from Suet. The fat of chickens, ducks, or geese has no special English name, except in Jewish cuisine, where it is known as schmaltz. The chicken ( Gallus gallus, sometimes G gallus domesticus) is a domesticated Fowl which is traditionally believed to have descended from For duck as a food see Duck (food; for other meanings see Duck (disambiguation. Goose (plural geese) is the English name for a considerable number of Birds belonging to the family Anatidae. Jewish cuisine is a collection of international Cookery traditions linked by Jewish Dietary laws ( Kashrus) and Jewish holiday traditions Schmaltz or schmalz is rendered Pig, Chicken, or Goose Fat used for frying or as a spread on bread especially in Bacon grease is sometimes also used in a culinary capacity. Bacon is a cut of Meat taken from the sides belly or back of a Pig that has been cured, smoked, or both

See also

• Lardy cake, an English bread with heavy lard content
• Isterband ("Lard-ribbon"), a Swedish-style sausage that doesn't contain lard

References

External links

• "High on the Hog" by Corby Kummer, New York Times, August 12, 2005.
• "Praise the lard" by Ed Murrieta, The News Tribune, September 7, 2005. The News Tribune is a daily Newspaper in Tacoma Washington, in the United States.
• "Rendering Lard 2.0" by Derrick Schneider, An Obsession With Food (blog), January 12, 2006.
• "Lard", Food Resource, College of Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, February 20, 2007. Oregon State University ( OSU) is a Coeducational public Research[[ university]] located in Corvallis, Oregon, United – Bibliography of food science articles on lard. Food science is a discipline concerned with all technical aspects of Food, beginning with Harvesting or slaughtering, and ending with its Cooking