Today was the day.....

[jewels621]

So after years of creeping around on this site, and learning SO much, and making at least a hundred batches of soap using SO many different oils, it dawned on me a few weeks ago that I had never made a batch of soap using lard! Once I had that realization, LARD just kept hitting me in the face everywhere I went. Today I made a 4 lb batch of 70% lard, 20% CO, 5% OOP, and 5% castor oil. Added some tussah silk to the lye water, used wheatgrass powder to color, and scented it with fresh bamboo. Just wanted to thank all of you "Lardinators" for encouraging me without knowing it. I may now even have to learn to post pictures. All I know is that it sure smells good in here, and I feel like you all may now have warped me by turning me to the "lard side". :shifty:

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome to the lard side...we have cookies, and pie crust and soap!


IrishLass

 

[Arimara]

Welcome to the lard side...we have cookies, and pie crust and soap!


IrishLass

You forgot the biscuits.

 

[Susie]

Oh, welcome to the lardy side!

We also have fried potatoes and sausage gravy to go with those biscuits. And scones for dessert.

 

[jewels621]

Oh, Lardy, help me.....I have a full blown soap addiction now!

 

[debratant]

Welcome Jewels.
I too recently made a high lard recipe the other day for the first time, and I have been soaping as a hobbyist for about 9 years now. I believe my recipe was 70% lard too. I don't know what the heck took me so long. I love lard, I use it in nearly all my batches, just had never used that much. After this last batch, seeing how absolutely white my base is with no TD???? Well....this will certainly be a regular batch for me.

This is how white mine is from this batch, and I Love it!
This is an end cut, but so far the whole loaf is still white.

 

[Stacyspy]

My most-requested soap is a 60% lard recipe...who would've thought...lol

We also have the best cinnamon rolls and whoopie pies

 

[jewels621]

Welcome Jewels.
I too recently made a high lard recipe the other day for the first time, and I have been soaping as a hobbyist for about 9 years now. I believe my recipe was 70% lard too. I don't know what the heck took me so long. I love lard, I use it in nearly all my batches, just had never used that much. After this last batch, seeing how absolutely white my base is with no TD???? Well....this will certainly be a regular batch for me.

This is how white mine is from this batch, and I Love it!
This is an end cut, but so far the whole loaf is still white.

That was my first thought when I cut mine this morning. I LOVE how white it is! I might have to cut sooner, though......I cut at 17 hours and it was a little hard on my loaf cutter. It was still putting out a lot of heat when I went to bed last night. I forced a gel and had to take it out of the insulation at 4 hours because it was starting to erupt. I love the color of the wheatgrass against the white. I hope it stays that green.

 

[dixiedragon]

We also have chicken and dumplings!

 

[jewels621]

[/URL]


There, I think......

 

[Steve85569]

You forgot the biscuits.

Some would say scones...


Welcome to the forum.
And also to the Lard side.

 

[Arimara]

Some would say scones...


Welcome to the forum.
And also to the Lard side.

At the risk of sounding obnoxious, I'd rather remain true to my heritage... Somewhat. I will still refuse to eat chitlins and drink sweet tea made south of the Mason-Dixon line.

 

[jules92207]

[/URL]


There, I think......

Ohhhhh.... beautiful!

 

[Susie]

They are beautiful! But are those metal racks?

 

[cmzaha]

[/URL]


There, I think......

Your soap looks lovely, but line that rack you have it on. Curing soap on any metal, even these cookie drying racks, in my experience can lead to dos. I line my stainless steel curing racks with large oil resistant sandwich sheets from a restaurant supply or some line theirs with needlepoint plastic canvas. I just found the plastic to expensive for my large racks

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Your soap looks lovely, but line that rack you have it on. Curing soap on any metal, even these cookie drying racks, in my experience can lead to dos.

Thanks for the tip, (((Carolyn))). I didn't know that. I've been using those cookie racks for longer than I can remember and I love them. I have lots of 4-ply mylar sheets leftover from the architectural consulting days and now I have a new use for them.

 

[Sexymess]

My first batch was with lard. I just made my first vegetarian batch today, from the book the everything soapmaking book by Alicia Grosso

 

[jewels621]

Your soap looks lovely, but line that rack you have it on. Curing soap on any metal, even these cookie drying racks, in my experience can lead to dos. I line my stainless steel curing racks with large oil resistant sandwich sheets from a restaurant supply or some line theirs with needlepoint plastic canvas. I just found the plastic to expensive for my large racks

Thanks for the tip....still learning every day.

 

[jewels621]

My first batch was with lard. I just made my first vegetarian batch today, from the book the everything soapmaking book by Alicia Grosso

This was my first lard soap....I've used a lot of beef tallow as I render it myself from our own grass fed Highland cattle. The butcher was smirking when I asked him to keep me the "good stuff" from around the heart and kidneys. "For what?", he asked. "Soap....just do it.", said I. "You can buy soap for cheap", said he. "Not this kind.", said I. And now he still smirks at me, but I get the best fat every time. I have a 50 lb bag in the freezer right just waiting for the right day to be rendered. Jewels, 1. Butcher, 0. Ha!

 

[Steve85569]

I use the same racks. I also use strips of construction paper under the soap even though the racks are coated.
I do not trust the coating to remain stable and my old eyes to see when it fails. The paper lets me put the recipe with the curing soap so I don't lose track before labels .

No DOS so far from the racks.