Commercial Pork Lard/Beef Tallow: How long does it last? Best way to store?

[cayenne]

Hello all,
I've been wanting to try cooking more the way my grandmother did...she used pork lard for most everything. I remember seeing tubs of it for sale in the grocery store when I was kid, right next to the Crisco (shudder).

These days, I don't see it in any grocery store I got to local...even in the New Orleans area.

So, seeing it online at Amazon, they have the Waygu beef tallow like all the YouTubers are using and the Goya Pork lard there looks to be a decent deal.

It isn't what I'd call cheap. But If I bought a couple of tubs...42oz range....how long. do these last after opening, say in a pantry?
Or, do you need to refrigerate this stuff? I*f so, how long does it last in the fridge?

I'm dying to try some French fries fried in beef tallow, like McDonald's used to be (I loved those things as a child before they changed it)....can you strain and reuse tallow or lard any for frying?

I just have no clue about storage and use of the stuff....hoping someone can help.

Thank you in advance,

cayenne

 

[bschoen]

Can't say to shelf life, but look for lard in the Mexican section, or better a Mexican grocery store. Ask for Manteca.

 

[shoebe]

I just Google and see what they have to say about how long you can store it and where to store it

 

[cayenne]

Can't say to shelf life, but look for lard in the Mexican section, or better a Mexican grocery store. Ask for Manteca.

Oh hey..great idea on the Mexican Store.
There's a small chain in the New Orleans area..."Ideal Markets"...that actually are well stocked...great dried chiles and other things not found in regular grocery stores.
I'll check next time I hit one of those...

But still...hoping someone chips in with advice for storage, etc...

Thank you for your reply!!!

C

 

[larry4406]

Sorry I can’t help much but growing up mom always had a coffee can of bacon grease in a kitchen cabinet with lid. I can’t remember it ever going rancid but I was young then.

 

[Smoked&Baked]

I dunno if this is helpful or not but I make tallow with the trimmings every brisket and we keep it covered in the fridge and it lasts until I make my next brisket. I heard once that keeping it covered helps it from turning. I toss the old one when I make a new one just because I've never thought about it but I'm guessing I make brisket about 8 times a year on average.

As mentioned above the Mexican store should have lard, the ones here do.

 

[Itsdone]

The tub i got from my local butcher says use or freeze by 2025, i checked the ingredients list and there is nothing but pork fat.

 

[bowhnter]

Speak with a lard specialist. Armourlard | Armourlard
I seen they sell at 2 places near Nola, but I cant get the store or address to come up.

Looks like they sell it at some Walmarts too.

 

[SmokinAussie]

Shelf stable for as long as it lasts basically.

If you keep it in the fridge, longer.

In the freezer, eternity.

Use it, reuse it again and again. When I do pork belly in the airfryer, I collect it the fat and it gets used in the pan for everything. Never lasts very long.

Cheers!

Bill

 

[cayenne]

Ok, thank you everyone!!!

C

 

[gcs]

The armour lard which can be found in walmart and other stores says "hydrogenated" on the label, Crisco is hydrogenated oils, so I don't know exactly what is done to the lard and how it compares to real rendered lard, but it gives me pause about buying it....

 

[cayenne]

The armour lard which can be found in walmart and other stores says "hydrogenated" on the label, Crisco is hydrogenated oils, so I don't know exactly what is done to the lard and how it compares to real rendered lard, but it gives me pause about buying it....

OOh...yeah, that gives me pause too!!

I mean, why in the world would you need it hydrogenated!?! It is solid at room temp for the most part without it...a saturated fat I believe?

Alright, well, I'll be label reading on my lard adventure for sure!!

Thank your the heads up!!

C

 

[1MoreFord]

Kroger and Walmart list lard for sale. Kroger has a few brands and all are labeled hydrogenated.
Walmart has more brands and one of them is in a pour-able container. I didn't see hydrogenated listed on the label. It has health and beauty listed on the label but also says food grade.

Robot or human?

For you tallow types Walmart sells at least two types/brands of tallow.

 

[Learning to BBQ]

Growing up............and still, we keep a mason jar to dump bacon fat into and use for cooking/frying other things. Stays in the cupboard unrefrigerated for years. Has never gone rancid. Every 5 or more years we just throw it out and start a new one, just because.

 

[Itsdone]

 

[cayenne]

Growing up............and still, we keep a mason jar to dump bacon fat into and use for cooking/frying other things. Stays in the cupboard unrefrigerated for years. Has never gone rancid. Every 5 or more years we just throw it out and start a new one, just because.

Yeah...I've got a container by the stove, with a thin metal mesh filter that sits on top for my bacon grease....

Hmm....I haven't been to a Walmart in years....I'll go find one here next time out in Kenner and wander in and look for lard.

C

 

[pbj]

The armour lard which can be found in walmart and other stores says "hydrogenated" on the label, Crisco is hydrogenated oils, so I don't know exactly what is done to the lard and how it compares to real rendered lard, but it gives me pause about buying it....

Crisco is vegetable based

 

[Juggy D Beerman]

What is the bacon grease you people speak of? I haven't fried bacon in over 25 years. I cook my bacon on the kettle. I can cook two pounds of bacon at one time on the kettle.

Now Mom saved her bacon grease in can that stayed on the stove. I cannot ever recall seeing the bottom of the can, it always had grease in it.

 

[sudsandswine]

I render all my beef fat trimmings for tallow. I buy lard from a local Mexican market. I would avoid the hydrogenated, solid at room temp stuff, personally.

 

[Callahan-que]

Growing up............and still, we keep a mason jar to dump bacon fat into and use for cooking/frying other things. Stays in the cupboard unrefrigerated for years. Has never gone rancid. Every 5 or more years we just throw it out and start a new one, just because.

I've always kept bacon fat but for some reason mines kept in the fridge next to the stove.