I've been looking for lard to try out in recipes that call for
shortening. Health qualities are the same as butter, but without the
water. I was thrilled to find lard in the supermarket. It was on the
shelf at air temperature. My joy was short-lived.
I've been researching lard. Leaf lard is, apparently, the rendered
kind. I'm not likely to do this myself, I don't think I can get it
around here, and the online price is higher than I want to pay. But
it's the kind we should be using for baking. Rose Levy Beranbaum says
that the kind we get in the store (not leaf lard) is not as good. She
suggests using it for savory pies, where the off-flavor (her opinion)
is less noticeable.
So I'm going to find a savory pie recipe and use up my supermarket
lard, and otherwise stick to my butter-only-in-pie-crusts plan.
Rosalie