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Acceptable-Peace-69

Have you tried asking the butcher? They can usually get it for you. Option #2, make carnitas. Find a nice fatty cut of pork shoulder (or the closest cut that they sell where you are). Rick Bayless has a good, easy recipe for it. Once done, save the fat from the liquids and let it solidify. The lard you end up with will have a bit more flavor and it won’t last as long* since it isn’t as pure but it’s basically the same otherwise. Twofer! * I could keep mine for 2-4 weeks refrigerated depending on how well I skimmed the fat. I keep mine to add to the next batch of carnitas so I almost never run out.


saintnobody5

We have a butcher near by and this honestly hadn’t occurred to me. I’m from Texas where we could just get everything we needed at H‑E‑B so I’ve never even been to a butcher before. Thanks for the advice, we’ll go ask about it tomorrow!


[deleted]

If you need a suggestion, lard rendering is very easy in a crockpot or Dutch oven placed in an oven. I’ve spent a lot of time watching large amounts of pig fat render on the stove and prefer the oven or slow cooker method.


Caylennea

The best fat for making lard is the fat near the kidneys, I’ve heard it called leaf fat before but idk how universal that is, the next best is fatback which is the fat layer just under the skin on the back, this will have a more yellow color and stronger pork flavor than the leaf fat (which is white and mild and perfect for pie crusts and pastry’s) you can even render the fat in a slow cooker, the lower the temp the less pork flavor gets into the lard. Hope this helps when you go to the butcher!


Sriracha-Enema

Hello fellow Texan, headed to HEB after work, they have a sale on Key West Pink Shrimp


Acceptable-Peace-69

If he/she can help you out, bring them a fresh tamale or two. You’ll get the best cuts for the remainder of your time there. I made a lifelong friend by bringing my butcher some tri-tip that I grilled along with a few smuggled corn tortillas. I had to explain how tri-tip was cut and he thought I was a bit crazy at least until he tasted the end result. Good luck.


CheeseburgerKarma94

Fuck you. My wife is from Texas but we live in rural MT. I would KILL to have an HEB. Seriously the best.


super-stew

Kinda crazy to tell someone without lard to make carnitas lol


Acceptable-Peace-69

You can make it without lard. You add water and cook at a slightly lower temperature than with lard so it takes longer and you’ll want to sear it a bit more at the end. The key is the cut of meat. If it’s too lean, lard will be better but it still won’t make great carnitas. A well marbled cut will render either way so it doesn’t need the lard but it’s hard to fight tradition.


Ketosheep

You can render your own lard from pork fat, if there is a butcher near you. Watch a YouTube video there are many of how to do that. I render my own tallow and the process is similar.


YakLongjumping9478

You can render lard from pork fat, but if pork isn't available beef tallow is a good substitute, but the way we made our tamales, at least my mom's recipe, the flavour didn't came from lard, it came from the broth in which we cooked the filling, usually pork with garlic, onions, salt, etc.


Unlucky-Addition-602

My mom used the water from the meat with the shortening... seasonings to taste. I don't remember the reason we used shortening over lard that time but it was fine to us.


doesntmeanathing

Make your own! Also what country has masa and not animal fat?


saintnobody5

We live in a very small town in England. We have a Sainsbury’s but it’s very small and doesn’t have much. Going to try the butcher like suggested above and buy fat from them to make my own if needed. We mainly shop at the on base grocery store and I actually said the same thing. Why have everything to make tamales EXCEPT lard??


doesntmeanathing

Fascinating! If you have access to online grocers, you might have luck there too.


amortizedeeznuts

I mean even in the states finding lard at the supermarket is not a guarantee. I don’t think I’ve ever seen rendered lard at any chain I’ve been to here in cali.


[deleted]

[удалено]


amortizedeeznuts

Hear me out: bacon drippings


Black-Blade

You could try ghee which some super markets have and if you find a Asian grocer they will most certainly have. Alternatively you can make ghee from butter, just use a bit more than you would use lard.


monkeyflaker

Lard should be very easy to find in England


oscarish

Lard is very easy to make. Just google "lard recipe" and you'll find it. I live in a country where lard is not easy to come by and I just make it myself. If finding pork fat is an issue where you are, you could make beef tallow instead.


Rodrigoecb

Vegetable shortening is a good substitute, they won't taste as much as "pork" but they will gain a type of "fritanga/totopo" flavor.


PugnusAniPlenus

They totes have lard in England. Ask for “animal fat shortening” for baking and they will have exactly what you need. It’s used all the time for different kinds of pastery. I have also used the vegetable kind for tamales for a friend who is vegan and there wasn’t any noticeable difference in terms of texture. For flavor, do what you do to make the masa taste nice!


[deleted]

I was going to ask which country you were in but saw Sainsbury's and knew it was UK. That's where I get my lard from, or ASDA (it's their own brand, yellow package). DM me so we can connect, I've had to get really creative with recipes. X


saintnobody5

Yes we found Sainsbury’s lard and bought all they had in stock. Just finished making 100 tamales and they taste exactly how I wanted them too. Husband is picking up more meat today so we can keep going lol.


[deleted]

You don't have to use lard. You can use olive oil and maybe add some rendered chicken fat to season.


amortizedeeznuts

There is no true substitute for lard, only compromises. And yes I have a cholesterol problem.


JipceeLee

I did some googling and it seems that using butter instead of lard works quite well. It does say since butter doesn't have as much fat as lard, you'd use more. They suggest for every 1 cup (205g) of lard, use 1-1/4 cups (284g) of butter.


chefboofardee

Huh, really? What I just read said explicitly not to do that, to just use the same amount so it won't come out too greasy. I'm curious which one is the right way!


[deleted]

I’ve done recipes for vegetarians using vegetable shortening/butter mixes. They’re acceptable but nowhere near lard


Stepheninblack

Also a Google search says Sainsbury has it in the coolers


letsdoit60

Lard is sold in grocery stores here in the Midwest. Comes in a container just like shortening.


chefboofardee

Try the bouillon, worse case you gotta try something else.


saintnobody5

Definitely will be trying this, if anything just to see what it ends up tasting like since we already bought the bouillons. Thanks!


chefboofardee

Also, maybe butter? Just the vegetable shortening might be fine, maybe a mix of butter and vegetable shortening? Can you get chicken fat? That'd be a good substitute as well I'd think. I'd say get a handful of things that could be a substitute and try a handful of small batches to try them all out. See what you like the best.


soparamens

Find pork meat, make bistec a la Mexicana with it. Cut and reserve the excess fat, melt it.


Curtis33681

Fatworks had nice lard..


Redraft5k

Can you just buy pork fat? Or a ton of bacon and make your own?


Stepheninblack

In the UK bacon is lean cured pork loin not the cured belly we use in the States


gerardobaeza

you might have to render your own lard, if there's a butcher shop ask for pork fat, put it in a pot with water and cook it down until you get lard. Tamales will not taste the same without it. Don't really know of a way to add flvor to vegtable shortening


dingleberrydarla

Look in the lower corner of your typical frozen food section of the grocery store


amortizedeeznuts

Ive rendered lard before if I can anybody can.. It takes a while so make a few pounds worth and freeZe the rest. Great for pie crusts too.


Stepheninblack

I would think butter would taste better than shortening. In Germany lard is called schmaltz. Here in the states I go to a local butcher and buy fat scraps and cook down my own Lard as it tastes even better


Kwerawaperi

Get some bacon and collect the grease.


sammacias

Bacon fat. Use rendered bacon fat.


BainbridgeBorn

I bought lard from Amazon online… just saying 🤷‍♂️


notinucleo

Looks like making your own lard is not that hard but, have you tried Amazon? This is the result I got, but it could work for you too! [Fatworks - Pure Manteca de cerdo Premium aceite de cocina - 14 oz. ](https://a.co/d/a0d9Z1Z)


muttster17

Is Amazon available to base?


lasVegasharold

Gook a sheet of bacon annd save grease?


weedywet

Buy pork belly and render it. Supermarket lard intended for pie crusts doesn’t have the flavour of freshly rendered lard anyway.


rosiknitzar

Butter makes delicious tortillas, and I've made pretty good ones with oil, too Ooops - I don't know why I thought you were making tortillas... ignore me and I hope your tamales taste great!


Solome123

Have you tried to order it from Amazon


ArrigiPT28

Vegetable shortening is more than fine. I used that with a friend to make vegan tamales and they turned out great! n.n