Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated fat content and its often negative image; however, many contemporary cooks and bakers favor it over other fats for select uses. The culinary qualities of lard vary somewhat depending on the part of the pig from which the fat was taken and how the lard was processed. Lard is still commonly used to manufacture soap.

Lard production

Lard can be obtained from any part of the pig as long as there is a high concentration of fatty tissue. The highest grade of lard, known as leaf lard, is obtained from the "flare" fat deposit surrounding the kidneys and inside the loin. The next highest grade of lard is obtained from fatback, the hard fat between the back skin and flesh of the pig. The lowest grade (for purposes of rendering into lard) is obtained from the soft caul fat surrounding digestive organs, such as small intestines, though caul fat is often used directly as a wrapping for roasting lean meats or in the manufacture of pâtés.Davidson, Alan. (2002). The Penguin Companion to Food. New York: Penguin Books. "Caul"; p 176–177. ISBN 0-14-20-0163-5Davidson, Alan. (2002). The Penguin Companion to Food. New York: Penguin Books. "Lard"; p 530–531. ISBN 0-14-20-0163-5Ockerman, Herbert W. and Basu, Lopa. (2006). Edible rendering – rendered products for human use. In: Meeker DL (ed). Essential Rendering: All About The Animal By-Products Industry. Arlington, VA: National Renderers Association. p 95–110. ISBN 0-9654660-3-5 (Warning: large document).

Lard may be rendered by either of two processes, wet rendering or dry rendering. In wet rendering, pig fat is boiled in water or steamed at a high temperature and the lard, which is insoluble in water, is skimmed off of the surface of the mixture, or it is separated in an industrial centrifuge. In dry rendering, the fat is exposed to high heat in a pan or oven without the presence of water (a process similar to frying bacon). The two processes yield somewhat differing products. Wet-rendered lard has a more neutral flavor, a lighter color, and a high smoke point. Dry-rendered lard is somewhat more browned in color and flavor and has relatively lower smoke point.Rombaur, Irma S, et al. (1997). Joy of Cooking (revised ed). New York: Scribner. "About lard and other animal fats"; p 1069. ISBN 0-684-81870-1

Industrially-produced lard, including much of the lard sold in supermarkets, is rendered from a mixture of high and low quality fat sources from throughout the pig. "Ask Cook's: Is Lard an Acceptable Shortening?", Cook's Illustrated, November 2004. It is typically hydrogenated (which produces trans fats as a by-product), and often treated with bleaching and deodorizing agents, emulsifiers, and antioxidants, such as BHT. Such treatment makes lard shelf stable. (Untreated lard must be refrigerated or frozen to prevent rancidity.)"Make Your Own Lard: Believe it or not, it's good for you" by Lynn Siprelle, The New Homemaker, Winter 2006.