Lard

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place or refrigerator. Properly rendered and stored lard can last several months to over a year. Keep away from light and heat to prevent rancidity.

For flakiest pie crusts and biscuits, use cold lard straight from the fridge and work it in quickly.

Lard has a lower melting point than butter, so baked goods brown faster—watch your oven temperature.

If making your own, save bacon fat, pork trimmings, or ask a butcher for pork fatback.

Leaf lard (from around the kidneys) is the highest quality and has the mildest flavor.

Pie crusts and biscuits

Refried beans and Mexican cooking

Fried chicken and Southern cuisine

Roasted vegetables

Corn bread and savory pastries

Using rancid or off-smelling lard—always check for freshness before cooking.

Mixing lard directly into dough without keeping it cold, resulting in dense, tough pastries instead of flaky ones.

Substituting lard 1:1 for butter in recipes without adjusting; lard spreads differently due to its lower melting point.