yield varies 
Looking to create some buzz at the water cooler? Just casually mention that you spent your weekend rendering lard—it produces entertaining reactions every single time without fail. Rendering lard or tallow takes a bit of time up front, but you’ll be rewarded with jars of amazing cooking fat for months afterwards. The homemade French fries and pie crusts are worth it—promise. The yield varies depending on the amount and type of fat you use.
Cold or partially frozen leaf fat (kidney fat) from pigs (any amount will work)
Trim any meat or kidney bits from the fat, then chop the fat into small pieces. You can also run it through your food processor or meat grinder. The smaller the bits of fat, the faster it will melt down. If you do use a food processor, be careful not to overprocess the lard, as it has a tendency to heat up and turn into a giant fat ball. (If this does occur, simply break apart the mass as much as possible and proceed with the rest of the recipe.)
Place the small fat pieces and ¼ cup water in a slow cooker set on low or a large stockpot over low heat. Cover. The key is to keep the temperature extremely low. If you render the fat too quickly, it’s apt to end up with more of a “piggy” taste and brownish color. It will still be usable, but will likely be too strongly flavored for pastries or pie crusts.
Allow the fat to render for several hours, stirring and checking frequently. You are looking for the bits of meat and gristle to rise to the top, leaving a clear, liquid fat underneath. Avoid boiling the fat or allowing it to burn or stick to the edges, which may result in a stronger flavor in the finished product.
Strain the liquid fat through a piece of fine cheesecloth and store it in glass jars. Some folks keep their rendered lard at room temperature, but I prefer to store it in the refrigerator or freezer long term. It will last many months in cold storage, and I’ve kept jars in my fridge for well over a year without spoilage.
Use lard for sautéing or frying. Or, if you cooked it carefully and it is mild and white, lard makes beautifully flaky pie crusts and pastries.
kitchen notes • Use your home-rendered lard to add flavor to any recipe requiring sautéing or frying, such as Foraged Frittata with Potato Crust, Maple-Glazed Pork Chops, or the Saucy Spiced Beef & Onions, just to name a few.
If you don’t butcher your own pigs, ask your local butcher to save kidney fat for you. They are often happy to either give it away or sell it for a nominal fee.
Start out with cold fat. Trust me on this one—it makes the process much less messy.
On butchering day, I usually place the buckets of fat in the fridge to be dealt with later. You can even freeze the raw fat, and then let it partially thaw before you begin to chop it.
The process of rendering beef tallow is almost identical to that of rendering lard. Using kidney fat is also advisable with tallow, as it produces a milder end product.
Yes, the smell that fills your kitchen while rendering is normal. I’ve tried to think of a way to describe the aroma, but it’s hard to explain it until you’ve experienced it. The best I can do is say it’s a bit meaty with a hint of unpleasant barnyard. It’s not my favorite part of the process, but thankfully the finished tallow or lard doesn’t hold on to that scent or taste.
My tallow is usually much harder than my lard, so I prefer to store it in bars versus in mason jars. (It’s nearly impossible to chip cold tallow out of a jar.) To make bars, pour the liquid tallow into a baking dish lined with parchment and let it cool before cutting it into bars the size of a bar of soap. Keep the bars in a large air-tight container in your freezer and pull them out to thaw when you are ready to make French fries, soap, candles, or whatever!
I was so ready. It was our first hog-butchering day and my buckets were clean and waiting to capture all the luscious fat I planned to turn into lard. The steer we had harvested the year prior gave us many pounds of fat for tallow, so I assumed our pigs would be no different. After it was all said and done, I ended up with just a measly few pounds of fat. I was baffled. Where on earth did all my pig fat go? It wasn’t until a chat with a butcher that I learned there are “bacon pigs” and “lard pigs.” Many of our more modern breeds have been bred exclusively for lean meat production, especially as lard fell out of favor. So if you desire mountains of fat for rendering, your best bet will be to seek out one of the heritage breeds like the American Guinea hog to avoid disappointment on butchering day.