Whewre to buy Leaf Lard?

[PaulO in MA]

So ... my 89-year-old mother calls this morning. She wants me to try to find leaf lard for her.

I've searched onlione, and there are some farms that have it available that I can just send it to her. I've seen lard in the supermarket. Any chance I will find leaf lard, or should I just send her some from an online retailer?

[Dee514]

Hi Paul,
I can get leaf lard at the supermarket - call around (PC, WF, etc.) before you run all over town....I'd also give the "Meat House" a call to see if they have any. You could also try local butcher shops (preferably an "Italian pork store"). I'd be willing to bet you can get it in the North end if you are down that way.

Olive oil and leaf lard were the only fats my grandmother used to cook with!

[Isabella's Can Opener]

A tip about finding it in the supermarket is that it is not always in the refrigerated section. I have found lard in the baking section near the shortening.

[PaulO in MA]

Thanks!

PC = Price Chopper?

That's closest and where I usually shop. Gave my mom a gift card from there for Christmas. Should have told her. She was there yesterday.

WF = Whole Foods?

There's one two towns away in the other direction.

[Chocolatl]

You can find lard in the supermarket, but probably not leaf lard. The lard I've seen in the non-refrigerated sections is ordinary, lesser-quality lard. I'd definitely call ahead if you're thinking of trying Price Chopper or Whole Foods. I have seen several posts online that stated Whole Foods does not carry leaf lard; a search of their site turned up no results. Your best local bet is a butcher shop.

[Isabella's Can Opener]

hmmm just thinking out loud but I live practically next door to a small sausage company here in Maine. Wonder if they make it or have access to it. I will have to check.

[Dee514]

PaulO in MA wrote:
Thanks!

PC = Price Chopper?

That's closest and where I usually shop. Gave my mom a gift card from there for Christmas. Should have told her. She was there yesterday.

WF = Whole Foods?

There's one two towns away in the other direction.

Yes, PC = Price Chopper; WF = Whole Foods. There's even a chance Hannaford by you might carry it, but I know the Hannaford by me doesn't stock it.

Like I said, call around first to see if they stock it before driving all over.

Thought maybe I could bring you some (since I am headed out to Cambridge tomorrow), so I stopped at the pork store (where I usually get it - I prefer supporting local businesses when I can)....unfortunately he was out of it, and said he wasn't making more before Christmas.
Sorry Paul, I tried.

[Greixos Olivella]

First of all I'd like to introduce myself, My name is Aleix Olivella, currently I live in York (UK), although me and my family have a lard company in Spain, which lard is called leaf lard, which comes from the fat around the kidneys of a pig, from abattoirs and boning authorized and approved establishments, which is used in spanish pastry and confectionery sectors.
Currently we are selling all around Spain and other countries of the east of Europe, but not in UK. As you can check in our website we can offer this lard in different formats, our leaf lard and company meets all sanitary requirements and also has a very good quality.
You can find more information in our website, or if any body has some question just email me at:
[e-mail]
www.greixosolivella.com
Thank's for your attention, and here you can buy oll leaf lard that you want.

[Zeldaz]

Hello, Aleix!
I'm afraid the posting member lives in the U.S., and there might be some customs issues with importing lard from Europe. Not to mention the shipping costs!

[Chocolatl]

Aleix, posting a link to your own website in the forums is not allowed by Food.com. It's considered SPAM and free advertising.

You can still have the link on your profile page.

[Greixos Olivella]

Hi, my apologises, I didn't know, in most of the spanih forums is allowed. I'll not publish the link of my website in that forum anymore,sorry.
But when I read the question I couldn't avoid to reply, because most of the lard that everybody can find in supermarkets or food groceries is not the good lard... because is a mixture of diferent pig fats and then hydrogenated to remove the taste, and sometimes is dificult to find out a good leaf lard source, and more for somebody that who doesn't know this fact.

[Greixos Olivella]

Hi Zeldaz, Thank's for your replay, is true the main custom issue is the fee of some American and south American countries apply to this product, like Mexico,
Currently we are supplying lard to one country of south Amercica, but the shipment cost is not enough important when you are selling one container of 20 tons, whenever you can warranty the product quality and good price.

[Chocolatl]

Shipping cost is pretty important when you're just buying enough for your mom to bake with, though!

You're right; the supermarket lard is not good.

[DEEP]

It seems to me that things have really gone to an extreme here. Simply rendering the fat from bacon, "streak 'o lean" or "fat back" will provided the desired "lard". As Emeril (Grrrrr) would say, "pork fat rules". This thread has certainly lent a mystical proportion to nothing more that rendered pork fat. It's readily available almost everywhere. Use it! Smoke or salt cured, preferably....and it's not hydrogenated unless you chose it to be so. As a kid, our lard came straight from the butchered pig's fat renderings. Who really cares if it "leafed"?

[Zeldaz]

Bacon fat tastes like bacon, I'd not use it to make a pastry crust for a dessert. Leaf lard is the highest grade of lard and comes from the visceral - or "soft" - fat from around the kidneys and loin of the pig. It lacks any real pork or meaty flavor, making it an excellent neutral-flavored cooking fat with a high smoking point.