kldickinson1
12-29-2008, 06:49 PM
I have just rendered my second batch of deer lard and wanted to share the following tips.
1. Lard gets everywhere and doesn't come off cheerfully. It's like wax - it hardens on stuff and gets into your sponges. It clings to pots and pans as well as sinks. Try your hardest to minimize spillage. Have rags on hand to dry wipe stuff (remember, it's not water-soluble). Minimize the amount of dishes that come into contact with the fat.
2. GRIND YOUR FAT. For the first batch, I threw chunks into the pot and was left with about half of it which wouldn't melt. For the second batch, I ground it in a meat grinder first before rendering. I also froze it (not sure if the freezing had anything to do with it). The second batch yielded about 95% of the lard. MUCH better results.
3. Don't skimp on the filter. A regular kitchen strainer (especially if you've ground your fat first) will miss some meat residue, some of which will get suspended in the ensuing lard. Pass the water/lard mixture through a coffee filter set inside the strainer.
4. You can get rid of the smell in the kitchen by boiling a few shakes of ground cinnamon in some water on the stove. Just boil it until the rendered smell is gone.
1. Lard gets everywhere and doesn't come off cheerfully. It's like wax - it hardens on stuff and gets into your sponges. It clings to pots and pans as well as sinks. Try your hardest to minimize spillage. Have rags on hand to dry wipe stuff (remember, it's not water-soluble). Minimize the amount of dishes that come into contact with the fat.
2. GRIND YOUR FAT. For the first batch, I threw chunks into the pot and was left with about half of it which wouldn't melt. For the second batch, I ground it in a meat grinder first before rendering. I also froze it (not sure if the freezing had anything to do with it). The second batch yielded about 95% of the lard. MUCH better results.
3. Don't skimp on the filter. A regular kitchen strainer (especially if you've ground your fat first) will miss some meat residue, some of which will get suspended in the ensuing lard. Pass the water/lard mixture through a coffee filter set inside the strainer.
4. You can get rid of the smell in the kitchen by boiling a few shakes of ground cinnamon in some water on the stove. Just boil it until the rendered smell is gone.