In this brief article, we will answer the question, “How to fry with lard?” methods and tips to fry with lard.
How to fry with lard?
To fry with lard, grease a pan with lard in your cast-iron skillet and fry the foods like chicken or donuts with it.
What exactly is lard?
Lard is a white fat found in the legs of the pig. Lard is made by separating the fats from the pig through a process called rendering. Lard can be used for sauteing, grilling, frying, roasting, and baking.
How to cook with lard?
Fried Chicken (Pan-fried in lard)
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 fryer (cut-up)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Lard for frying
Method
- Remove the neck or the giblet pieces from the chicken and keep them aside.
- Wash the chicken thoroughly in running water. After washing, cut the chicken into the pieces desired.
- In a pan, lay out a sheet. Place the chicken pieces onto the sheet.
- Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, take flour in a cup.
- Dip the chicken pieces in the flour and coat all the sides with the flour. You can shake off any excess flour present.
- Heat lard in a pan. The temperature of the lard should reach up to 350℉ for frying. The lard should at least occupy ¾ inch inside the pan.
- Place the pieces of chicken coated with flour inside the pan gradually.
- Let the chicken pieces cook for 5-6 minutes. You can also cover and cook the chicken pieces for a few minutes.
- When the chicken pieces are cooked on one side, flip the chicken pieces to let the other side cook as well. Cook the other side for 5-6 minutes too.
- To ensure that the chicken has cooked well, you can insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165℉.
- After the chicken has reached the appropriate temperature, remove it from the pan and place it in a newspaper or brown paper bag to soak in the excess oil.
- Allow the chicken to cool for 10-15 minutes and then serve.
Donuts (Deep-fried in lard)
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup yogurt
- Lard for frying
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tbsp honey
Method
- In a bowl, mix corn starch, salt, baking powder, flour, sugar, and nutmeg. You can use a bowl containing an electric hand mixer.
- In another bowl, mix eggs, melted butter, and yogurt. Mix the contents of both the bowls and place them overnight or at least for an hour in the fridge.
- In a deep pan, add lard. The pan should be covered at least 2 inches by lard. You can use a dutch oven pot as well. Let the temperature of the lard reach 325℉.
- Meanwhile, roll the dough around ½ inch thick. Use a donut cutter. Roll the scraps and cut using a donut cutter. You can also use a water bottle cap to cut the donuts.
- Fry the donuts when the lard has reached an appropriate temperature. Fry them in batches and avoid overcrowding. Occasionally check the temperature of the lard to avoid burning the doughnuts.
- Take the doughnuts out using a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil in a dry paper towel.
- Fry the other batches of doughnuts as well.
- For glazing, in a bowl, mix honey, vanilla, water, and 1-2 tsp salt.
- Add the powdered sugar to the mixture and mix well.
- Dip the top of the doughnuts into the glaze. Excess glaze can be removed using a dry paper towel.
What are some tips to keep in mind while frying?
- If you are frying, avoid overcrowding the pan with the pieces of food that you are frying. This can lead to the food being undercooked. You can instead fry in batches.
- You can use a splatter screen to avoid the lard from splattering onto you.
- Lard has a neutral taste and a smoke point of 374℉, so it is ideal for frying.
- Avoid putting wet food while frying as this would cause the lard to splatter.
- It is important to exercise caution while deep-frying lard. Lard has a higher smoke point than butter but a lower smoke point than vegetable oil, so do not heat it beyond 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
More FAQs on lard that you might be interested in.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “How to fry with lard?” methods and tips to fry with lard.
