Lard is pig fat with a friendlier name. It shows up in flaky pastry and old-school refried beans, and no amount of good technique changes what it is.
Made fromRendered pig fat
Also calledManteca, pork fat
VerdictNot vegan
Where it hides
Flaky pastry and pie crust
Refried beans and tamales
Some flour tortillas
Traditional baked goods
What it is
Lard is the fat of a pig, melted down and clarified into a soft white cooking fat. It has been a kitchen staple for as long as people have kept pigs, prized for the tender crumb it gives pastry. None of that changes its origin.
Primary source 01 / 01
Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.
The catch is that lard is often invisible on a menu. Refried beans, tamales, some flour tortillas, and plenty of traditional pastry carry it without a word on the front of the pack. When you want the same flake without the pig, chilled vegetable shortening, a firm vegan block butter, or coconut oil each stand in cleanly.
TallowTallow is rendered beef or mutton fat. It has had a small comeback in frying and skincare, and the comeback does not make it plant-based.
SuetClassic suet is the crumbly kidney fat of a cow or sheep. There is a vegetable version that works just as well, but the boxes sit side by side, so read carefully.
GheeGhee is butter with the milk solids cooked off. The process is clever, the nutty flavour is real, and it is still dairy from start to finish.
Frequently asked
Is lard always from pigs?
In everyday food use, yes. Lard means rendered pork fat. Rendered beef or mutton fat is called tallow, and raw beef or mutton fat is suet. All three are animal fats.
What can I use instead of lard?
For pastry, chilled vegetable shortening or a firm vegan baking block gives a similar flake. For frying and beans, a neutral oil or coconut oil works well.
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