Cold pork leaf or kidney fat chopped fine and rendered slowly in a slow cooker or pot, then strained into jars.
Ingredients
Leaf fat or kidney fat from pigs
1/4cupwater
Equipment: slow cooker or large pot; cheesecloth; glass jars
Directions
Begin with cold fat (refrigerated for several days after butchering, or frozen and partly thawed).
Cut away large chunks of meat or kidney, then chop the fat finely or run it through a food processor or meat grinder (smaller pieces melt faster and give whiter lard). Do not over-process, or the fat warms up and clumps.
Put the 1/4 cup water and the fat in a slow cooker on low (or in a pot over very low stovetop heat). Rendering too quickly gives a stronger "piggy" flavor and a golden color.
Render for several hours, stirring often, until the cracklins float to the top and clear liquid fat pools underneath. Do not let it boil, burn, or stick.
Pour through cheesecloth into glass jars. Keep in the refrigerator or freezer.
Use for sautéing or frying; mild, white lard also works in pie crusts and pastries.
Notes
Room-temperature storage is not recommended (rancidity). Safety: hot fat burns badly; keep the heat low, don't leave it unattended, and let it cool a little before pouring into glass.