Weird lard issue between buckets...

[srez]

Good morning,

So lately I've been on a 50% lard kick and really enjoying the bars. My wife who was hesitant at first because of "the lard" has now come to really appreciate it.

Here's the issue. I made a 50% lard batch with my regularly purchased Armour lard from Walmart. Usually all of the buckets that I've purchased, when opened, the lard seems somewhat medium hard / firm with a donut type look to it at the top. Those bars have been great.

However, this one bucket when I opened seemed different. It was flat at the top, softer and almost resembled / had this marshmallow texture to it. It was softer and somewhat grittier than the usual buckets. Foolish me said "it says lard, it's manufactured in a plant on a conveyor belt, it's gotta be the same thing... it's lard"

Well... the soap took forever to trace. I poured it into the mold yesterday and 16 hours later, that batch is still somewhat softer than the usual batches that I've made. It doesn't seem right to me and I'm thinking of trashing it.

Has anyone experienced this? Should I toss it? I originally thought that because it's the same company in the same bucket, that it has to have the same FA profile.

I think I was wrong. I did not save the bucket to check the lot number compared to the others.

Am I making sense?

Thoughts?

 

[BWt]

Could warmer weather have caused the lard to soften? Could your lye have been older?

 

[srez]

I guess it's possible. But the base was definitely different from all the others that I've used.
I went a few days ago and there was no lard on the shelves. When they received a new shipment I grabbed a few of those buckets. I'm assuming they were possibly the same lot number. But I have no idea. I purchased six buckets. Five were exactly the same... firm and identical looking. This other one was totally different.
Wondering if it was shortening or something like that that got poured into a lard bucket. Or if possibly this was the end of the lard and it was more foamy. If that makes sense.

 

[srez]

@bwtapestry the difference was somewhat kinda like whipped butter vs regular butter. It was "airy" I guess? Where the normal lard was more dense and smooth.

 

[SSC Oregon]

I wouldn't trash it, yet. Time works wonders!
Yes, sounds like you got a different kind of lard in the bucket.
Maybe return it? Cook with it?

 

[srez]

I wouldn't trash it, yet. Time works wonders!
Yes, sounds like you got a different kind of lard in the bucket.
Maybe return it? Cook with it?

Unfortunately, I used the whole 4lb bucket... so there's that... yeah.... won't do that again.

 

[SSC Oregon]

Oh, well. Now you know!
I still say give it time.
I had a large batch of soap I thought was absolute crap. I rebatched half of it the next day. Wouldn't you know, about two weeks later I found the (abused, neglected) half batch I had chucked to the side.. And it was great soap! Not like anything it first resembled.

I'm huge on letting bad batches be for atleast a week now.
Just my experience

 

[BWt]

I'm with @SSC Oregon in letting the batch sit for two weeks. If it begins to harden up then perhaps it will eventually harden. In the meantime I would contact the Armor Lard folks and ask what they think the issue was.

 

[srez]

Thanks @bwtapestry @SSC Oregon

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’ve seen subtle differences in lard and tallow from the same suppliers or same brand over the time I’ve been making soap, from a bit harder to a bit softer. The block (30 lb) of tallow I have right now is a bit firmer while the last one was softer and the one before that was firmer. The blocks were ordered at the same time of year, stored the same way, and used over the same time period of a year. We know that the composition of animal fat can vary a bit depending on diet and other factors. I assumed that the softer batch contained a bit less palmitic and stearic fatty acids as percentages of the total and more oleic FA (or PUFAs?) on balance.

 

[srez]

Thanks @Mobjack Bay

 

[Becky1024]

I’ve found by experience the temperature of lard and lye when you start mixing them greatly affects how fast the soap hardens. Once I made a batch where both lard and lye were close to room temperature and the loaf took several days to harden. Mix in the low 100s and even if it is cut 24 hours later is very hard.

 

[srez]

I’ve found by experience the temperature of lard and lye when you start mixing them greatly affects how fast the soap hardens. Once I made a batch where both lard and lye were close to room temperature and the loaf took several days to harden. Mix in the low 100s and even if it is cut 24 hours later is very hard.

Thanks! @Becky1024 I have noticed that as well. Gotta find that sweet spot.

 

[Becky1024]

Thanks! @Becky1024 I have noticed that as well. Gotta find that sweet spot.

I like the 90’s F. Then I can cut a day later without breaking my arms or trying to cut soup!

 

[AliOop]

I believe other factors include your lye concentration, and whether you apply some form of heat after pouring. I routinely soap with a 40% lye concentration, with my ingredients in the 80's to 90's. Then I put it on a heating pad to gel. My soaps cut cleanly at 12-18 hours, max.