Date Published: Oct 24th, 2023 | Last Updated: Oct 24th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: tips, tricks
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 1 hour

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Using lard instead of cooking oil adds an extra depth of flavour to any dish – think stir-fry noodles, fried rice, sautéed veggies. You can buy ready to use lard at any grocery store, but I find homemade lard to have an extra smokiness that you just can’t get beat. Although a little time-consuming, it is SO easy to make your own lard at home and also a little satisfying to watch all the fat melt down. Try it yourself! The finished lard will last for up to 6 months in the fridge.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 1kg of pork belly/fat – with or without skin, chopped 2cm pieces
• 3/4 cup water

Directions:

In a wok on MED-HIGH heat, add in the pork belly and water. After a minute or two, the water will start turning murky and start to evaporate.

When the water evaporates, turn the heat down to MED-LOW and let the fat slowly start to melt to a clear oil.

Continuously spoon out the clear oil into a heat-proof bowl as its produced (you don’t want to leave the pork sitting in a pool of oil or else this will start frying the pork). This is a slow process and will take roughly 45mins – 1hr. Be sure to toss the pork pieces occasionally. It’s done when the pork pieces are dried and crispy and no longer rendering fat. Turn off heat.

Once the oil cools, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. If there are any big floaties in your oil from the pork, strain the oil first before storing. It will solidify once cold and you can use it as needed when cooking. This will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Summarized Recipe: