Lard

Lard was widely used in traditional cooking for centuries but was largely replaced in the mid-20th century by hydrogenated vegetable shortenings marketed as healthier alternatives.

It works well for frying eggs and meat, roasting and sautéing vegetables, and baking. Many cooks consider lard superior to butter or shortening for certain baked goods because it produces very flaky pastry.

Typical kitchen lard has a smoke point of about 370°F / 188°C. For higher temperatures, consider fats such as avocado oil.

Properly rendered and strained lard is very stable and was traditionally stored at room temperature for long periods. Many cooks still keep it in a sealed container unrefrigerated.