Lard

Handmade Lard Balm

Handmade Lard Balm

Last Christmas, I got struck with some creative energy and figured I should harness it - I learned that you can make moisturizing balms with lard!

Though it should make total sense because it’s a fat just like coconut oil or shea butter or cocoa butter, I just never thought about lard being used for anything but cooking.

Lard is actually super similar to the chemical makeup of our own oils, making it a a great option for skin care.

Lard from pasture raised pigs is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, A & D. This means it's very gentle on our skin, easily absorbed, and nourishing. Then we use beeswax to help lock in moisture. 

Read more to learn the recipe!

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Cast Iron Lard Biscuits

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Cast Iron Lard Biscuits

I had never been a huge biscuit person until recently. These are melt-in-your-mouth, flaky, buttery, savory and pure deliciousness.

These biscuits, made with our lard, are amazing with apple butter, jam, sausage patties, or for an epic breakfast sandwich. They come together quickly and are simple to make. Enjoy!

Lard Vs. Leaf Lard

Lard Vs. Leaf Lard

If you were to ask me the difference between leaf lard and regular lard 2 years ago, I would have had no idea how to answer. I didn’t even know what lard was before raising pigs. I thought it was the same thing as crisco!

I’ve learned a lot these last few years, especially when it comes to honoring the whole animal we’ve work so hard to raise well. I’m still learning daily.

One of the things that heritage breed pigs raised outside tend to have a lot of is fat and once rendered down, is called lard. From a pig, you can get both regular lard and leaf lard. Read more to learn the difference!

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Farmhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Farmhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies

There aren’t many things that I’ve made more of than homemade chocolate chip cookies. We made them a lot with my mom growing up. I make them every month or so and we always make about 6 batches right before Christmas to have on hand for Christmas parties.

Once we found out our butcher will render the fatback into lard for us, I knew I had to try it in baked goods! I’ve tried a few recipes where lard was the only fat I used in the cookies, but my absolute favorite is a mixture of both lard and butter. The lard adds moistness and chewiness while the butter adds that richness I love in a cookie.

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