Fresh Pork Lard

Jmommy209's Note:

Another from Rick Bayless's "Mexico One Plate at a Time". The recipe calls for 2 lbs pork fat, but since you can't post only 1 ingredient, it is broken into 2 1 lb increments in the ingredient list.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 28

Yield: 1.75 cups

• 1 lb pork fat , cut into 1 inch cubes (do not use bacon or salt pork)
• 1 lb pork fat , cut into 1 inch cubes (do not use bacon or salt pork)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 deg F.
2. Spread the cubes out in a deep baking dish, place in oven.
3. Stir every once in a while as the fat renders into a clear liquid.
4. When the baking dish contains only clear liquid and browned bits (about 2 hours), carefully remove the dish from the oven (letting the cracklings color richly gives the lard a fuller, roastier flavor).
5. Let the lard cool to lukewarm, then strain.
6. Store the lard in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator (freeze if you won't use it all within a month).