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Pastured Pork Lard, Leaf Fat & Organs
Pastured pork lard starts here — with raw leaf fat and trimmings fat from pigs raised outdoors in our Maryland wood lots on a Non-GMO, soy-free diet, no antibiotics, no added hormones. Render it yourself in an afternoon and you’ll have the baking fat that made pie crust famous. Alongside the fats, this is also where the pork organs live for the nose-to-tail freezer. Fat quality follows the pig’s life more directly than any other product; these pigs lived well.
Leaf Fat vs. Trimmings — Which to Render
- Pork leaf fat is the prize: the clean, delicate fat from around the kidneys. Rendered gently, it becomes leaf lard — snow-white, nearly neutral in flavor, and the traditional pastry fat. If flaky pie crust or biscuits are the goal, this is the one; it’s also the smaller, more affordable way to try rendering for the first time.
- Pork trimmings fat renders into all-purpose lard with a bit more pork character — exactly what you want for frying, roasting vegetables, searing, refried beans, and tortillas. Buy it when volume is the point: it’s the workhorse jar that lives next to the stove.
Rendering either is the same slow-cooker afternoon as beef tallow: chop, melt low, strain, jar. Low heat keeps leaf lard white and mild; that’s the entire craft.
The Organ Cuts
The pork organs listing rounds out a nose-to-tail freezer alongside our beef and chicken organ meats. Traditional kitchens built whole dishes around them — pâtés, terrines, and braises — and raw pet feeders round out rotations with them. What’s included varies by processing date; the current selection is on the product page.
Why Pastured Fat Is Worth Rendering
Fat concentrates the animal’s diet more than any muscle does. A pig that rooted through wooded paddocks on a Non-GMO, soy-free ration builds fat worth eating on its own terms — which is the entire premise of lard as an ingredient. Rendering your own also means one-ingredient fat with full traceability: you know the farm, the feed, and the pig.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between leaf lard and regular lard?
Leaf lard renders from the leaf fat around the kidneys — white, mild, and prized for pastry. Regular lard renders from trimmings fat and carries more pork flavor, better suited to frying and savory cooking.
How do I render lard at home?
Chop the fat small, melt it low and slow (a slow cooker on low is foolproof), strain through cheesecloth, and pour into jars. Keep the heat gentle — browning the fat changes the flavor and color.
How long does home-rendered lard keep?
Cleanly strained and sealed: months in a cool pantry, up to a year refrigerated. Moisture or meat left in the jar is what shortens shelf life.
Is lard good for baking?
Leaf lard is the traditional champion of flaky pie crust and biscuits — its crystal structure shortens dough in a way butter can’t. Most bakers blend it with butter for flavor.
What comes in the pork organs pack?
The selection varies by processing date — the current contents are listed on the product page.
Related
Shop all pasture-raised pork
Grass-fed beef tallow, fat and suet — the beef side of the rendering shelf
Grass-fed beef organ meats and chicken livers and hearts for the full nose-to-tail rotation
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