Pork Lard vs Beef Lard In CP Soap

[Gryfonmoon]

So can you just use the lard that comes in buckets in the grocery store and not have to render it? I believe it has preservative or vitamin added?.?

I forgot to mention that when I want to be, I'm quite hands on. I like to render my own animal fat if I'm going to use it

 

[Kansas Farm Girl]

Yes you can, I normally buy my lard at Walmart. They don't have tallow so thus I don't buy that there. I haven't found a local place to buy tallow so need to render it. And since I get it for free it's worth my time to render it down.

 

[Hazel]

Thanks for the information and especially the link, I missed that one in my forum search. It has perfect beginner information!

I realized I didn't finish my comment about my soft soaps. I meant to add I include some lard to help increase hardness without lowering the conditioning too much.

Also, you'll see links to discussions which relate to what you posted in the subject header if you scroll to the bottom of the page. Of course, you may already have read these topics.

 

[VanessaP]

So can you just use the lard that comes in buckets in the grocery store and not have to render it? I believe it has preservative or vitamin added?.?

My friend's lard says it has bha propyl galate, and citric acid (I'm way too lazy to get up and go look at my bucket right now) - its for stabilizing the lard's shelf life I love lard and don't have any issues with it. I'm way too A) lazy and B ) busy with 2.5 year old twins to render my own lard. Plus, once you factor in the final amount of lard you get per rendering session and what you would pay yourself for doing that, you will likely come in ahead buying it at the store.

 

[Kansas Farm Girl]

And BTW, I typically combine all my oils, including the lard, into the pot I am using to mix, and then mix my water and lye in my lye pitcher. Once the water is clear after stirring the lye in, and still hot, I pour it into the oil pot, I use the heat from the lye water to melt the oils and lard. I have never had a false trace doing this, and have done it with any number of recipes. I have a bad habit of mixing to heavy trace so then when I try to do something pretty I have very thick soap batter, but when I remind myself that I don't have to stir so long I can color and swirl it.

 

[Clemmey]

I use beef, pig, deer and elk fat to render so far. It's great! I love the fact that you are taking a part of the animal and making it useful! I render it in the crockpot on low, then put it through a sieve and transfer it into a plastic container to solidify for use. I like this because when it is done it is hard and it pops right out. Then I freeze it for storage.

 

[nebetmiw]

Lard is the best for on skin products like soap. Reason is pigs are the closest to us in ph and type of skin and such. Lard will not clog pore like other oils. Many blame lard for clogging pores but it is not lard but other soft oils like olive and soy and such that do. There have been many tests done over the years on hard and soft oils on skin. Most soaps are made with lard or tallow that are bought in the store. Reason it is cheap since it is a by product from meat processing. Plus it makes the hardest soap out there.

BTW lard makes the best biskets and pie crust too.

 

[VanessaP]

BTW lard makes the best biskets and pie crust too.

Omnomnom I used it to make my dumplins last week when I made chicken & dumplins. So yummy!

 

[Trxflyer]

I think I'm gonna go the Lard in a bucket route from the store. I don't think I want to tackle the rendering process, mess, smell. But I'm glad I asked because I picked up a LOT of good information on how to use Lard and what to expect from it. Thanks everyone!

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

So can you just use the lard that comes in buckets in the grocery store and not have to render it? I believe it has preservative or vitamin added?.?

Yep! It can also be ordered online

 

[Trxflyer]

Yep! It can also be ordered online

Thanks!

 

[Marilyna]

Another option is the shortening that is made with meat fats. Supposedly it's 96 to 98% tallow. I use it all the time and love it. I can't prove the tallow figure, but have seen it reported on forums by people who called the manufacturer. I use the sap value for tallow.

 

[Hazel]

Soaperschoice/Columbus Foods carries lard but I've never bought it from them so I don't know the quality. However, it's probably good since a lot of their oils are food grade. I only use lard for one recipe so I never need to have a large quantity on hand.

 

[Kansas Farm Girl]

I just got the info that we will be butchering in a few weeks - already put dips on all the fat (not hard, no one else wants it, the dogs will just have to do with meat scraps). They give me the fat, I keep them in soap for the next yr. And as my brother would say, I'm so busy it keeps me out of trouble.

 

[Lindy]

I haven't tried lard yet but tallow is a major oil for me. I use it for my shampoo bars, shaving soaps and my egg soaps. Surprisingly I get very little resistance to it and quite frankly I like AO even though I live in Granola country....

 

[nebetmiw]

We will also be butchering here in a week or so. Hubby has already planned for all the lard to go for my soap making except what he need for coating the kettles. His brother is down here to help him out and reteach him the cuts.

I still have lard from the store to go threw so I best get off my butt and start soaping alot.

 

[Birdie Wife]

I love using lard in soap (and in cooking - DH agrees ). I typically use 30 - 35% with about 20-25% CO and the rest soft oils like OO and castor. I melt the hard oils together until just melted, then add the soft oils, mix and use straight away to avoid the lard seizing. My favourite soap at the moment is an unfragranced bar made like this with added colloidal oatmeal, honey and milk.


BTW, in Britain we call rendered pig fat "lard" and rendered beef fat "dripping".