Well, it was time. We had taken the last piggy into the locker.  We actually butchered 3 ourselves this year but time was short for this last one and when we loaded up one for a customer, we took our last one in also.

(Will we see more on butchering pigs later? Maybe, I have pictures!)

Anyway, my processed pig came back with our lard. At our local butcher, you have to ask for it (and the beef tallow, and bones!)  Apparently, some people don’t want their lard! (Can you imagine?)   If you can’t raise your pig yourself, try and buy a local one! Get one that is out on some pasture and well loved!

You can see our pigs are well loved 🙂

Your lard will come as a chunk.  You need to cut it up yourself into 1″ squares, or run it through a machine like this :

Once you run it through the machine, I put mine in a roaster pan and put it into the oven. I usually do pretty low for a long time 🙂  no chance of scalding.

After 10 hours yesterday, it looked like the pic above.  It is not a lovely smell but it wasn’t overpowering, we wouldn’t have had to leave.  I like to do it overnight so we don’t have to worry about using the oven.

Then I strain it like the picture above.

This becomes jar after jar of lard goodness!

After I fill a jar, I wipe the rim and cover it with a metal lid and ring. I then flip it over 🙂

and this is your final product 🙂

Why Lard? http://www.weedemandreap.com/2013/02/the-top-3-reasons-why-you-should-be-eating-lard.html

What can you use lard for?   I use it for cooking and soap making. We had some this morning as I cooked french toast. I store it in my root cellar 🙂
Blessings

Amanda

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