ARMOUR AND COMPANY
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J.!u about Lard
With the wide variety of shortmings available on the market today the
woman who buys is faced with the problem of choosing between them; Each
of the general types, i.e. butter, oleomargari.ze, oils, hydrogenated vegetable
or animal fats, bletzded shortenings, and lard, have special qualities
which make them particularly adaptable to one use or another in cookery.
We have not attempted to cover the qualities of all shortenings in this
booklet, but have confined our story to Lard, the natural shortening which
held the spotlight off avor i11 grandmother 's and great-grandmother's day,
atld which is making its "comeb~ck" as a result of interesting scimti.fic
discoveries of its high 1111tritive value and shortening properties.
S PEC IAL C OLLECTIONS & R ARE BOOKS
W ALTER CLINTON jACKSON L IBRARY
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT GREENSBORO
Ho-me- E~PCM11phlet:.Gift
of Paul Hessling
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
OF LARD
Every year there are raised in our great U. S.
some 45 million or more hogs (62 million in
1933, 42 million in 1936, and 44\1, million in
1938). These are marketed ro the consuming
public as hams, bacon, fresh pork sausage
and lard. Over 15% of the hog goes into
the lard pail. Lard production amounts to
approximately 1.6 billion lbs. (average) each
year before processing, or approximately 1
billion after ranking and rendering. This is
the figure for lard manufacture by packers
from Government Inspected hogs. There is
another sizable figure of about Y, billion lbs.
yearly produced in home rendering on farms
and used or sold in local districts only.
During the last ten years, the home use of
lard has decreased sharply, due ro less home
baking and the competition of other shortenings.
Exports of lard have also declined
sharply .
Production has nor declined however. It
is, in fact, increasing for 1939. This fact is of
vital importance to the whole agricultural
mid-west (the food producing center of the
United States) since overproduction forces
rhe price to low levels and means a limitation
of income for the farmer.
Better and wider use of lard , then, becomes
an important matter, of interest to
the farmer , rhe teacher and the consumer as
3
an economic problem in better utilization <;>f
American prod uces.
PROCESSING OF LA RD
The processing of lard is a simple procedure,
following closely the original home method of
melting or rendering the fat from the chopped
or ground fa tty tissues which are removed from
the hog during the dressing. This may be done
tn (2) ways (by steam or dry hear) and results
in (2) types of lard .
1. STEAM- RENDERED LARD: Armo ur's
Star Lard is a steam-rendered lard . Selected clear
fats from the hog carcass are rendered by chopping
them· and melting our -the liquid lard in
the presence of live sream at 240-280° F. This
is done in large, closed rendering ranks.
The liquid lard is now clarified with activated
carbon to remove color, moisture and excess
flavor.
FILTRATION thro ugh a whole battery of
canvas filters follows the clarifica tion.
CHILLING is done to partially solidify the
lard . The liquid far comes from the fi lters to
huge steel rolls refrigerated w exact temperatures
. The speed with which chill ing is accomplished
determines whether rhe lard is smooth
or grainy. Slow cooling produces grai ny lard;
rapid cooling a smooth, more plastic lard. There
is no difference in shortening qualities in smooth
or grainy lard and preference for one or the other
is purely a matter of habit in irs use.
TEXTURATION: This is an added step in lard
processing patented by Armour and Company
and used exclusively by them. It is a mechanical
process which so finely divides the fat globules
and distributes the tiny air bubbles that
the lard is doubly smooth and creamy and blends
in extra short time into the· dough or batter.
PACKAGING: The semisolid lard is now
run into pails or parchment lined cartons. The
filling machine is an automatic device which
weighs the product into the container. Extra
precaution is taken to re-weigh every container
before it is closed. Packaged lard is now ready
for chilling and shipping. A feature of STAR
LARD that has been developed as a rime saver
for the consumer is the self-measuring carton
which is perforated for cutting off the desired
amount. One cup, one-half cup, or one-fourth
of a cup can be accurately measured with a knife,
cur off and rolled from the paper without the
usual handling and muss.
2. KETTLE-RENDERED LEAF LARD:
Armour's Simon-Pure-100% Leaf Lard is an
open-kettle-rendered lard.
For this extra quality lard, only the line leaf
fat which lies around the kidneys is used. The
quanriry of this leaf fat from each animal is very
small. Pure leaf lard has an especially sweet,
bland flavor and is slightly firmer under a wide
range of temperatures. For these reasons it usually
sells for a slightly higher price than steamrendered
lard.
The leaf far is chopped, then rendered in an
open kettle without steam. The kettles are steam
jacketed to maintain an even and controlled heat,
bur no steam rouches the far. Temperatures
used are some 40° lower than for steam-rendered
lard and the resulting lard is firmer,
more grainy, creamy in color and has a ·characrerisric
kettle-rendered flavor much desired
by cooks.
Simon-Pure Leaf Lard is not clarified but
is filtered the same as STAR LARD, then
ch.illed ·and packaged as described above,
CONTROL OF QUALITY
Control of quality is a point on which the
!llanufacrurer of packaged, branded lard
prides himself. Bulk lard, scooped our of
a rub with wooden paddle, may or may nor
be acceptable.
Armour branded packaged lards are all
made from Government Inspected hogs
under methods and conditions approved by
the Bureau of Animal Industry . This includes
inspection of product, hogs, packing house
and processing rooms.
Because large manufacturers have so much
far from which to choose, only the finest
quality goes inro their rop grades . Differences
in the raw fats materially affect flavor.
It is only by proper choice and blending
rliar uniformity results .
Every step in the processing is controlled
for time, temperature and method so that
the resulting product is definitely standardized
for high quality.
6
ADVANTAGES OF LARD IN COOKING
Lard is used mainly as a shortening but is also used as a frying medium.
It has . several advantages over other similar fats.
1. Lard is highly economical, partly because its retail cost is usually
lower than other fats of similar quality and also because it actually goes
farther in cooking, due to superior shortening power.
2. Lard has higher shortening power than any other plastic fat . This
fact has been proved conclusively by wide experimentation in many college
and university laboratories and in the laboratories of the Institute
of American Meat Packers. Tests on shortening power in cookies and
pastries, measured by the shortometer, have been made by Fisher, 1 Davis, 2
Platt3 and Fleming, and Lowe, • and aU. agree on this fact. " Shortening
power" is described as the "ability of fat to make a product more tender
so that it breaks or crushes more readily." For products in which the
shortness is important, like pastry, cookies, biscuits, etc., lard is unexcelled .
3. Lard is easily workable or plastic at a wider range of temperatures
than other shortenings. This makes it an easy fat to work with.
4. In some products the flavor of sweet, fresh lard is a definite advantage.
Bakers report that it gives better flavor to yeast breads than bland
fats and is therefore preferred. Many doughnut shops and fried chicken
establishments use lard exclusively for frying because of the added flavor
in the finished product. .
5. Cakes made. with lard appear to keep moist longer than cakes made
with other shortenings. This work is reported. by the Institute of American
Meat Packers after extensive tests.
ADVANTAGES OF LARD
IN THE DIET
Lard has three quali ties which recommend
it highly as an ingredient in the daily diet.
1. Lard is highly digestible, a fact con·
trary to the popular notion. It ranks with
butter as 97% digestible, in contrast to 93.8%
digestibility for hydrogenated vegetable fa ts.
These figures are from C. F. Langworthy,
Ind. and Engr. Chern. D :276.
2. Lard is high in food value, as are all
fats, yielding 4080 calories per pound or 9
calories per gram. Lard is 100% fat, conrains
no water.
3. Lard has recently been shown to con·
rain some of the essential fatty acids which
cannot be manufactured by the body and
are essential to growth and healrh. The Univers
ity of Min nesota has reported t hese
studies. They have also found lard, because
of the presence of certain unsaturated fatty
acids, to be a cure for some skin conditions,
including infanti le eczema. Babies with this
condition were cured when fed warm lard .
Hydrogenation, which saturates these fatty
acids in the processing, destroys this nutriti
ve quality.
8
\
-~ f' . l ' )KEEPING QUALITY
Good quality lard will keep well over a long
period of time. It must be remembered, however,
that lard , being a natural fat, has some
free farry acid , and on prolonged exposure
tO warmth and air, tends to develop rancid ity.
Rancidity can easi ly be detected by odor
and flavor. Best keeping conditions include
refrigeration, a closed package, and an
opaque package which excludes light. All fats
tend to absorb other food odors. This is
another reason for keeping lard well wrapped
9
~rl . . ~ooktng wtth Lard
PASTRY:
Qualities considered for perfection in pastry include richness o}flavor,
tenderness, crispness and flakiness. These properties are better achieved
with lard than with any other shortening. It is therefore recommended
as the first choice of fats for pastry. .
Flakiness, that term which describes the texture of pastry as thin layers
of fat and flour with air spaces between, is highly desirable. When broken
the pastry breaks crisply but easily into tender flakes .which melt in the
mouth. Other shortenings may give tender, mealy pastry, brp only lard
gives this flaky quality.
STANDARD
PASTRY RECIPE
For 3 single crusts, or 1 double and 1 single
crust pie:
3 cups all-pt~rpose jlo11r
1 Vz teaspoons salt
1 cup Star Lard or Simon-Pure
Lard ( lfz lb.)
8-9 tablespoons ice water
METHOD: .
1. Sift flour onto paper or into bowL Mea·
sure, place in sifter.
2. Add the salt to flour and sift into large
bowL
3. Cut the lard to measure, or measu.re in
measuring cup, and add to flour.
4. With 2 knives held~ upright in the hands,
or with pastry blender, cut the lard into the
flour until rhe mixture looks like very coarse
corn meaL
5. Measure the water and starr adding ir, a
few drops at a rime, to rhe dry mixture, blend ing
ir in with one of the knives. Add just
enough water to make the dry material hold
together when pressed together with rhe
knife. Flours vary in their absorption and
may require slightly less or more than the
specified amount of water.
6. Chill the dough before rolling.
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7. Divide into single crusts, .shape into flat ball and roll out on lightly
floured board, with a light, even pressure, turning the dough around and
over to prevent sticking and to keep it circular. When the circle is approximately
1 inch wider than the pan on all sides it is ready for the pan.
8. Fold the dough once, and lift onto pan with fold in center; unfold
and press into pan, leaving extra edge on crust.
9. Add filling, and top crust.
10. For top crust, roll out, fold once and cut several gashes in it to allow
escape of steam. Place on top of pie, unfold. With palms of hands press
the dough firmly against edges of pan all around and extra crust will fall
off. Crimp edges with forefinger and thumb to flute it or press together
with the tines of a fork.
11. Bake pastry as follows:
(a) For single crusts, without filling, shape over back of pan to prevent
crust from getting out of shape. Prick liberally and bake in 450° F. oven
for 10-12 minutes.
(b) For double-crust pies, uncooked filling, bake in 425° F. oven for 15
minutes to set crust, then at 350° F. for additional 25-30 minutes to
cook filling .
(c) For double-crust pies, cooked -filling, bake at 425° F. for 25-30 minutes
or until evenly browned.
Variations in Pastry for Interesting Results
1. ORANGE PASTRY: Use orange juice in place of water and add
1 Y, tablespoons grated peel. Good under cream pies, or mince pies.
2. SPICED PASTRY: Add 1 y, teaspoons cinnamon or cinnamon and
allspice to pastry recipe, along with Y, cup sugar. Bake in small circles,
squares or in tiny sticks to serve with tea or hot chocolate.
3. HAM STICKS OR CHEESE STICKS: After regular pastry is rolled
out, spread with deviled ham spread or grated cheese, fold, re-roll, and
repeat one more time. Cut in tiny sticks and bake like single-crust pies
for service with salads.
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4. CIRCLE TARTS: Cut ·pastry with fluted cooky Cl!tter and bake.
Stack 2 or 3 together with apple bu.tter between and cop with a bit of
whipped cream. Nice for the tea party.
5. ICE CREAM PIES: Fill small tart shells with partly softened ice cream
and replace in the freezing compartment of refrigerator until re-frozen.
Some Words to the Wise on Pastry Making
1. All-purpose flour is generally used . Pastry or cake flour, however,
gives a mealier crust and is amateur proof against toughness. ·
2. Don't guess on ingredient measure. Too ·much water is the greatest
fault of pastry makers.
3. Make up pastry for more than 1 pie at a time. It saves so much
time. The moist dough will keep a week successfully. Another idea of
value is co make up a double recipe (6 single or 2 double and 2 single
crusts) at once, bur leave out the water. This dry mixture can be scored
in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks and be used as needed. Measure 2\/z
cups dry mixture for a 2-crust pie, or 1 Yz cups for a single-crust pie.
Add water as needed.
4. A pastty canvas and a knit "shirt" for the rolling pin are excellent
insurance against sticking. These are available at housewares departments.
5. Don't work the dough. any more than absolutely necessary . It is
sure to be .tough, since the gluten in the flour is developed.
6. To prevent a soaked lower crust, cry one of these . methods: (1)
sprinkle lower crust with flour before adding filling, (2) sprinkle ·lower
crust with minute tapioca; (3) brush lower crust with egg white.
7. If your pies boil over, try these: (1) turn edge of upper crust under
edge of lower crust and then crimp into a high edge, or (2) use a strip
of paper pie tape around edge. ·
8. A custard pie is best made by pouring hot milk over the egg and
sugar, then pouring this hot mixture into the pie shell and starting the
baking at 425° F. to set the crust. Turn fire low after 12-15 minutes to
finish cooking.
13
BISCUITS
Lard makes an excellent shortening for biscuits
and other hot quick breads. Because of
its plasticity and cexruracion it blends quickly
and is distributed evenly throughout the flour.
Only 2 tablespoons lard co each cup of flour
gives light, fluffy biscuits of delicious flavor
and shortness. From the standard biscuit
recipe many delicious dishes can be prepared,
including coffee cakes, short cakes, cobblers
and fruit rolls.
STANDARD BAKING POWDER
BISCUITS
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
'12 teaspo011 salt
14 cup Star Lard or Sim011-Pure Lard
% to 34 cup milk
1. Sift flour onto paper and measure 2 cups
into sifter.
2. Measure sale and baking powder into flour
and resifc into mixing bowl.
3. Cue lard to measure and add co flour.
4. Cue lard inca flour as directed for pastry.
5. With knife stir in the milk, adding nearly
all of it at once and stirring back and forth
quickly to dampen the flour, but not to make
a smooch dough. Add enough milk w make
a dough sticky co the couch.
6. Turn out onto well floured board or canvas,
sprinkle lightly with flour and quickly and
lightly knead the dough not over Y, minute.
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7. Now pat (do not roll) dough to l4 inch thickness and cut with floured
biscuit cutter.
8. Bake on unoiled baking sheet for 12-15 minutes in 425° F. oven. Makes
1 dozen small biscuits.
Variations to Be Made from Biscuit Recipe
L CHEESE BISCUITS: Add l4 cup grated Cloverbloom American Cheese
to the dry ingredients just before milk is added. Good with luncheon dishes.
2. PEANUT BUTTER BISCUITS: Blend Y2 cup Armour's Star Peanut
Butter in with the lard in standard recipe_ Good with luncheon dishes
and salads.
3. ORANGE TEA BISCUITS: Dip one square cube of sugar into orange
juice and press into center of each small biscuit before baking.
4. PINWHEELS: Pat dough to Y2 inch thickness, spread with butter and
sprinkle liberally with sugar and cinnamon. Roll like jelly roll, cut in
l4 inch pieces and bake like regular biscuits. '
5. SHORTCAKE: Add 2 tablespoons sugar to flour and add 2 tablespoons
butter to be blended with the lard. Bake in biscuits, break open
and fill with crushed, sweetened fruits.
6. CHERRY ROLL: Pat biscuit dough to Y2 inch thickness. Cover with
fruit from No. 2 can red sour cherries, sweetened and thickened with
Ys cup sugar and 3\12 tablespoons cornstarch mixed. Save thickened juice
for sauce. Roll dough up like jelly roll and bake in 1 piece at 450° F. for
10-15 minutes. Cut slices and serve with thickened juice as ~auce.
7. COBBLERS: Place layer of richly sweetened fresh or canned fruit in
baking pan and top with very soft biscuit or shortcake dough. Bake like
biscuits and serve with cream, hard sauce or fruit sauce.
Other excellent uses fo,r lard in quick breads include muffins, cornbread,
coffee cake, gingerbread, etc.
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Tips 011 Biscuit Making
I. An enormous amounr of time in baking
biscuits can b~ saved by blending the flour,
salt, baking powder and lard in a double
or triple recipe and storing in closed jar in
refrigerator. Portions can be used as desired.
It requires only the addition of milk
·before baking.
2. " Light" is the word for mixing, kneading
and patting the dough . The light touch
makes light biscuits.
3. For crusty biscuits, set them I in.ch apart
on baking pan. For soft, moist biscuits, place
them close together.
4. If you wane to bake biscuits for a party,
make them up, cut them, cover with wax
paper, and place pans and all in refrigerator
ready to pop inro. the oven just before the
dinner or luncheon is served. They come to
the table piping hot, fresh from the oven.
C!KES M!DE WITH L!RD
Lard is a fine economy shortening to use
in cakes. It is easy ro handle and makes excellent
cakes of fine moist texture which stay
fresh longer than most cakes. All lard or
half lard and half butter may be used in
your regular cake recipe.
The finest lard cakes are made by a procedure
slightly different than that ordinarily
used on a butter cake. Since lard is 100% fat
16
and contains no moisture, as does butter or oleomargarine, we add 1 or
2 tablespoons of the cake liquid to the first creaming of lard and sugar.
This helps to put the sugar into solution. It is also advantageous to
save about \1.\ of the cake sugar to be beaten into the egg white. This forms
a fine, soft meringue which blends easily into the cake batter and gives a
finer, fluffier texture to the finished cake. It also increases cake volume.
Like other standard recipes, a standard cake·, once perfected, can serve as
a foundation for many interesting variations in flavor and form. Teacakes,
petit fours, cake sandwiches and layer cakes flavored with spice, orange,
nuts, cocoanut, etc., can all be made from the following standard lard cake.
STANDARD CAKE MADE WITH . LARD
'h cup ( 1!. lb.) Star Lard or
Simon-Pure Lard
11/z cups sugar
1 cup milk
METHOD:
1. Turn on oven -and set at 375° F.
1 1/z teaspoons vanilla ·
3 Cloverbloom Eggs
2% cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/z teaspoons baking powder
2. Oil 2-8-inch layer cake pans, line bottom with paper to fit, and
oil paper. Pans may be oiled and floured and omit paper lining. ·
3. Sift flour, measure 2Ys cups and resift with salt and baking powder.
4. Measure sugar, and reserve \1.\ cup of it -for the meringue.
5. Measure milk and add the egg yolks and vanilla to it.
6. Separate eggs and leave egg whites at room temperature. They will .
beat better than if chilled.
7. Cream the lard, the remaining 1\1.\ cups sugar and about 2 tablespoons
of the milk mixture until very light and fluffy .
8. Add the flour and the rest of the milk mixture alternately in 4 or 5
. parts, starting with flour and beating well after each addition.
9. Beat egg whites stiff, but not dry; add the \1.\ cup reserved sugar
and beat to a fine meringue. Fold into cake batter with an over and over
motion until well blended.
10. Pour into the prepared cake pans, filling each about ?') full. Even the
dough into the corners.
11. Bake in 375° F. oven 25-30 minutes.
17
TESTS FOR DONENESS:
(a) Cake will pull away slightly from sides of pan.
(b) When a toothpick or cake tester is inserted into. middle of layer ir
comes out clean. ·
12. Let pans stand on cooling rack a few minutes, then turn out onto
the rack and remove paper from bottom. Turn la.yer right side up by
placing another cooling rack over the layer and with the hands grasping
both racks with cake between, turn over. Remove top rack. This method
prevents breaking.
13. TO FROST: Allow cake to cool completely. Turn one layer, top
down, on plate or cooling rack; frost cop, and cover with second layer,
botrom side down. This brings the 2 flat surfaces of cake layers together
and gives an evener cake. Frost sides of cake next, and cop last, swirling
the .frosting with the spatula. This method applies to all kinds of frostings .
Variations to Be Made from Standard Cake
FLAVOR VARIATIONS which can be made without changing the amount
or handling of ingredients include:
1. Add nuts or cocoanut or chopped maraschino cherries co the batter.
2. Use strong coffee, or water, orange juice or pineapple juice for liquid.
3. Add mixed spices co batter with strong black coffee as the liquid.
Frost with white frosting.
4. Vary the frosting.
VARIATIONS IN SHAPE can be made by baking the batter in several
small cup cakes or in a single flat layer which can be cut into small squares
.and frosted as desired. Another change is co bake a thicker layer, cut in
squares, split like shortcake and fill with a slice of brick ice cream for a
cake sandwich.
No attempt is made here co discuss the various types of white cakes,
chocolate cakes, burnt sugar cakes, etc., which can be made so well with
lard. Use your favorite proportions but follow the mixing method outlined
here for best results.
L1RD IN YE1ST BRE1DS
Few homemakers prepare loaves of homemade
bread in rhis age of fine quality bakery
bread , but many women enjoy making raised
hot breads in the form of cinnamon rolls,
pecan rolls, orange rolls and hot dinner rolls.
The same facror that makes the baker choose
lard for the yeast bread shorrening applies
to homemade rolls. They taste better, are
lighter and stay fresh longer.
We have suggested a standard icebox yeast
dough as typical of the yeast bread made in
today 's home. It can be prepared and left covered
for a week or ten days in the refrigeraror
ro be used from as desired. From it you can
make all the types of rolls suggested above.
19
STANDARD ICEBOX ROLLS
1 cake compressed yeast
v. cup warm water
Vz cup (1!. lb.) Star Lard or Simon-Pure Lard
%cup sugar
1 Vz teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
1 Cloverbloom Egg
4 to 5 cups sifted flour
METHOD:
1. Add warm water to yeast and let stand for 10 minutes or longer.
2. Scald the milk, pour it over the lard in a large mixing bowl and add
the sugar and salt. Let cool ro lukewarm so that the yeast is not killed.
3. Add dissolved yeast and beaten egg.
4. Sift in about 4 cups flour, a cup at a rime, beating well after each
addition. When all is added, the dough should be soft, yet firm enough
to handle.
5. Turn onto floured board and knead lightly and thoroughly
until elastic and smooth. In kneading always pick up the edge of
the dough farthest from you, pull it toward yourself, then knead away
from you with the cushions of the palms, not the knuckles. Avoid
roo much flour.
6. Turn dough into well oiled bowl, cover closely and place in refrig.
eraror for 12 hours before using.
7. When ready to use, cut off amount desired, let rise 1 Y, hours ·in
warm place, knead, shape and place on oiled pan ro rise in warm place
until double in bulk. Bake in 425° F. oven 10·12 minutes.
8. Makes 3 dozen rolls .
Variations from the Icebox Roll Recipe
1. PECAN ROLLS:
Roll raised dough Y, inch thick and sprinkle liberally with brown >ugac.
Roll like jelly roll and cur in 1 inch pieces. Place cur side down in muffin
20
pans, which have been well oiled with butter, then spread with 1 teaspoon
of brown sugar and 4 pecan halves. Let rise and bake as above.
2. ORANGE ROLLS:
Follow same procedure as for pecan rolls, spreading the dough with
a paste of ~ cup sugar, ~ cup butter and the grated rind of 2 oranges.
Roll, cut, let rise and bake in individual muffin pans.
3. CINNAMON ROLLS:
Proceed as above using melted butter, sugar and cinnamon in the
roll. Bake separately or place close together in oiled fiat baking pan,
let rise, and bake as above.
4. PARKER HOUSE ROLLS:
Roll raised dough to ~ inch thickness, cut in circles with biscuit
cutter, spread with butter and fold over like a pocketbook. Let rise,
or and bake as above.
)
5. CLOVERLEAVES:
Make tiny balls of raised dough, oil well and place 3 together in each
muffin pan. Let rise and bake as above.
LARD FOR DEEP-FAT FRYING
Lard is an excellent choice for deep-fat frying. It browns the food evenly
and well and imparts a delicate fried flavor so cherished in good doughnuts,
fried chicken, and French fried potatoes.
One factor of importance in a fat for frying is that it be capable of
maintaining high temperatures without smoking or burning. When fats
smoke, it means that decomposition is taking place wit,.h the accompanying
formation of acrolein, a product irritating co nose and eyes and
undesirable in the digestive tract. Lard will, without smoking, maintain
as high temperatures as are ever needed for frying foods. Good fresh
lard does not smoke until well over 400° F. in temperature and no food
is fried at temperatures over 380-390° F. Never let lard get hotter than
needed for the food to be fried and you will have fine results.
21
CHOICE OF EQUIPMENT: Use a deep,
not too wide, vessel heavy enough to be steady
on the stove. It should never be filled over
half full of fat. It should be large enough to
hold 2 lbs. of lard.
Use a wire frying basket and a frying thermometer
for accurate results. Keep a tray,
spread with paper rowels or absorbent paper,
ready to receive the fried food for draining.
FRYING PROCEDURE:
Have fat at exact temperature required for
product.
Do not try to fry too much at once.
Reheat fat between fryings .
Have food as dry as possible before putting
it into the hot fat. Potatoes or chicken
should be dried ; croquettes, etc., rolled in
egg and crumbs, and excess crumbs brushed
off before frying.
Lower food into fat gently. Remember that
the water in the food boils out and makes
the whole kettle bubble violently at the
beginning of the frying. This ·is why foods
should be well dried.
Remove when done to paper rowels or
absorbent paper to drain.
CARE OF FAT:
After use in frying the fat should ·be
clarified by adding a sliced raw potato to
the cool "fat, letting it heat slowly, then
straining it through a close-textured cloth .
Lard, properly handled , may be used again
and again without becoming unusable.
22
Frying Temperature for Deep-fat Frying
FOOD
DOUGHNuTS
FRITIERS
CROQUETIES
TEMPERATURE OF FAT
360-370° F.
350-360° F.
370-380° F.
POTATOES (French Fried and Chips)
ONION RINGS
380° F.
380° F.
CHICKEN (very small) in quarters 350° F.
APPROXIMATE TIME
2-3 minutes
2-4 minutes
Until browned
3-5 minutes
3-4 minutes
10-12 minutes
NOTE: If no far-frying thermometer is available you may rest rhe rem- .
perature of rhe far wirh cubes of srale bread. Drop one inro rhe far and
counr rhe secon.ds ir rakes ro brown.
If bread browns in 60-70 seconds the fat is approximately 350-370° F.
If bread browns in 40-50 seconds the fat is approximately 365-380° F.
If bread browns in 30 seconds the fat is approximately 390° F ..
If fat smokes, it is burning and is too hot for frying.
References
(1) Fisher, ]. D. Shortening Value of Plastic Fats. Ind. Eng. Chem.
25:1171 (1933)
(2) Davis, C. E. Shortening: Its Definition and Measurement. Ind. Eng.
Chem. 13:797 (1921)
(.3) Platt, W. , and Fleming, R. S. The Action of Shortening in the Light
· of the Newer Theories of Smface Phenomena. Ind. Eng.
Chem. 15:390 (1922)
(4) Lowe, Belle. Experimental Cookery. john Wiley and Sons, Inc., New
York, N. Y . ( 1937)
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