Does anyone have a pie crust recipe that uses lard instead of shortening?
First of all, there are 14 recipes on BigOven that contain "pie crust" in the title and have lard as an ingredient.
I also have several recipes that are not posted on BigOven... My maternal Grandmother often used this recipe which uses both butter and lard:
BUTTER AND LARD CRUST
3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup cold lard, cut up
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Combine flour, sugar and salt in bowl. With pastry blender, cut in butter and lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork, until mixture just begins to hold together. Gather pastry into a ball. Divide into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten into 2 disks; wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
I've also had good results using this Rose Levy Beranbaum recipe:
MIRACLE FLAKY LARD CRUST
From: "The Pie and Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Source: The Washington Post - November 20, 2006
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups plus 4 teaspoons pastry flour or all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup cold lard 1/4 cup ice water 4 teaspoons cider vinegar Whole wheat flour for rolling Method: Place a mixing bowl in freezer to chill. Place flour, salt and baking powder in a zip-style gallon-size freezer bag and mix together. Using a melon baller, scoop balls of the lard directly into the flour, shaking bag occasionally to distrubte and cover them with the flour. Seal bag. If room is warm and lard starts getting very soft, place bag in freezer for about 10 minutes. If it is still firm but squishable once it's all been added, using a rolling pin, roll over exterior of bag, until lard is in thin flakes. Place bag in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Empty flour mixture into cold bowl, scraping sides of the inside of the bag. Set bag aside. Gently pour on ice water and vinegar, tossing gently with a rubber spatula to incorporate evenly. Spoon mixture back into plastic bag. With one hand in the bag and the other on the outside, knead mixture by alternately pressing it with knuckles and heels of both hands, until mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled. Remove dough from bag and place it on a sheet of plastic wrap. Sprinkle both sides with whole wheat flour. Cover with plastic, flatten dough into a disc and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Will keep refrigerated up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months. When rolling dough, you may roll directly on work surface or on plastic wrap. Sprinkle with whole wheat flour as needed to keep from sticking; don't worry, the whole wheat will not toughen dough and instead give it extra crunch.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups plus 4 teaspoons pastry flour or all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold lard
1/4 cup ice water
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
Whole wheat flour for rolling
Method:
Place a mixing bowl in freezer to chill.
Place flour, salt and baking powder in a zip-style gallon-size freezer bag and mix together. Using a melon baller, scoop balls of the lard directly into the flour, shaking bag occasionally to distrubte and cover them with the flour. Seal bag. If room is warm and lard starts getting very soft, place bag in freezer for about 10 minutes. If it is still firm but squishable once it's all been added, using a rolling pin, roll over exterior of bag, until lard is in thin flakes. Place bag in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Empty flour mixture into cold bowl, scraping sides of the inside of the bag. Set bag aside. Gently pour on ice water and vinegar, tossing gently with a rubber spatula to incorporate evenly. Spoon mixture back into plastic bag.
With one hand in the bag and the other on the outside, knead mixture by alternately pressing it with knuckles and heels of both hands, until mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
Remove dough from bag and place it on a sheet of plastic wrap. Sprinkle both sides with whole wheat flour. Cover with plastic, flatten dough into a disc and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
Will keep refrigerated up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
When rolling dough, you may roll directly on work surface or on plastic wrap. Sprinkle with whole wheat flour as needed to keep from sticking; don't worry, the whole wheat will not toughen dough and instead give it extra crunch.
[edited July-3-2009]
Buy a box of tenderflake lard and follow the recipe on the box; it turns out perfect for me everytime.
Thank you all for the help. I know one of your great recipes will be the one I am looking for.
Sharon
Ditto on the Tenderflake lard box.
Tenderflake Perfect Pastry
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1 pound tenderflake lard 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 egg -- lightly beaten water
- Mix together flour and salt. - Cut in Tenderflake with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. - In a 1 cup measure, combine vinegar and egg. Add water to make 1 cup. - Gradually stir liquid into Tenderflake mixture. Add only enough liquid to make dough cling together. - Gather into a ball and divide into 6 portions. If desired, wrap unused portions and refrigerate or freeze. - Roll out each portion on a lightly floured surface. If dough is sticking, chill 1-2 hours. - Transfer dough to pie plate. Trim and flute shells or crusts and back according to your pie recipe.
Source: "Tenderflake Lard Package" Yield: "6 pie shells"
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