Is anyone else using lard now that butter is so expensive?

Callistemon21

I really fancy a blackberry and apple pie with custard.

Unfortunately, being rather immobile at the moment, I am beginning to look like a lump of lard myself.

Oh dear, Callistemon21, I hope you’ll recover soon.

Well, short of living on a farm and being totally self sufficient, we are probably all at risk, somewhere along the line.
Even some kefir is highly processed, apparently.

MissAdventure

A lot of what people think is not based on actual fact.
The healthiest way, probably, is not to cover good, nutritious food with pastry, because it isn't necessary.
I love a good pie, though.

I'm sure the cockroaches are okay. However, those in the know are becoming concerned about ultra-high processed food, of which margerine is one. The British eat a lot of UHPFs - more than most countries.

If you look at the ingredients on anything and there is more than one, you are getting things you may not be aware of. I have just looked on the side of a tin of tomatoes - even that has four ingredients. The combinations on the ultra-high processed foods may (not will) make you ill or fat.

I`ve always used just lard for making pastry, still do. Also in the chip pan.

I've always used half Stork margarine and half Trex for pastry and it's fine - using butter for pastry seems too ... indulgent? Maybe it's my post-war upbringing when butter just wasn't available much but I prefer to save it for my toast.

Are you still having problems?
It's been a long while, now.

I really fancy a blackberry and apple pie with custard.

Unfortunately, being rather immobile at the moment, I am beginning to look like a lump of lard myself.

I always have lard in the fridge but rarely use it for pastry. I use it for roast vegetables and frying.
Round here block Stork is hard to find. DH does the shopping as he still works part time at the Co-op. I actually prefer Stork for baking with.

Lots of items are full of animal fat.
Biscuits, all kinds of things.

Butter is a dairy product. Lard is made from animal fat. I feel sick just thinking about it.

Good point about only eating pastry once in a blue moon, calli. Same here, though it's mainly because I can't be bothered to make it and bought pastry simply not being the same animal at all!!!

A lot of what people think is not based on actual fact.
The healthiest way, probably, is not to cover good, nutritious food with pastry, because it isn't necessary.
I love a good pie, though.

GagaJo

Actually, looking into it, I don't think it is. I think basic lard (with no added stuff) is healthier. Which seems a bit mad to me. It must mean the additives to veg lard are super bad. I know margerine is very bad. Cockroaches won't eat it.

I think that's an urban myth; cockroaches will eat anything.

GagaJo

I wouldn't use lard, but not sure why really. Butter is also animal fat.

I might try a combination of butter and vegetable lard. Is vegetable lard healthier than butter?

I don't think so as it's hydrogenated fat as well which are full of trans fats.

The question I'd ask is - how often do I eat pastry?
Not very often.

I've always used lard for pastry, same as my mum and grandmas did and, as a result, I make the shortest pastry in the west! I also use it as my go to cooking fat in my wok and frying pan. Wok gets used nearly every day for veg.

I don't and never did use it because it's cheaper than butter. It's simply better than butter when high heat is involved. Butter burns at a much lower temperature than lard or beef fat, not to mention vegetable oils, which are unstable at very low temps.

All the anti-animal fats stuff we've been fed by the media over the years is rubbish.

Actually, looking into it, I don't think it is. I think basic lard (with no added stuff) is healthier. Which seems a bit mad to me. It must mean the additives to veg lard are super bad. I know margerine is very bad. Cockroaches won't eat it.

It sounds as if it should be, but who knows?

I wouldn't use lard, but not sure why really. Butter is also animal fat.

I might try a combination of butter and vegetable lard. Is vegetable lard healthier than butter?

I have always used the half and half method for pastry. It "shortens" it. However, I wouldn't use if for anything else that I can think of. If I did, I think it would replace oil rather than butter; I hope we don't get to that point.

I have extra difficulties with pastry these days as, with no gluten, it is difficult to make and almost impossible to roll out. No actual butter either but lactose free behaves better than glutten free.

For pastry I use hard Stork or an own brand equivalent - not that I make pastry very often except during the run up to Christmas - batch after batch of mince pies. I’m not keen on shop ones.

I use lard only for making bird pudding in very cold weather. The birds certainly like it!

Lard contains less saturated fat than butter.
I think, considering all the pros and and cons, they come about about equal in terms of unhealthy/healthy...

I've always used half butter, half lard for pastry, but lard for frying chips? Heart attack on a plate, But then, I don't make chips.

Over the years my pastry making has had many compliments. I have never dared own up and say I make it with lard

I didn’t even know you could still get lard. Must have a look next time I go to the supermarket .

I can still hear my domestic science teacher, Miss G.,(50 years ago) saying , “Half lard, half marg for pastry. Lard for shortness, marg for colour”.

All lard makes the pastry very ‘short’, I find. And I now use half butter instead of marg.