Used for some traditional preparations and indispensable in traditional Campania cuisine, lard has been a widely used ingredient for a long time. However, there are many ingredients perfect as alternatives to lard.
What Is Lard
Before understanding what to use instead of lard, it is necessary to know what lard is. This is the pork fat extracted from the lard, the fatty tissue part of the pig’s back. Lard is a creamy compound with white and translucent color, similar to an ointment. Its flavor is relatively neutral, so it lends itself to sweet and savory preparations. Therefore, it is a natural ingredient but not suitable for those who follow a vegan diet or those who want a lighter diet. Nutritionists advise against it for those suffering from high cholesterol, as well as for those with cardiovascular problems. In the following paragraphs, we will explain how to replace lard in the kitchen:
- Which ingredients to use.
- How to replace them.
- What the recommended cooking methods are, and how to make your recipes tastier, tastier, and better.
How To Use Lard
Lard can be stored in the refrigerator like regular fat, butter, or margarine. It is added to the dough, as in the traditional Romagna piadina or some desserts, or it is used for frying because once in contact with the heat, it melts and becomes similar to oil. Its smoke point is shallow, and the risk of frying not being too healthy is very high.
Lard: How To Replace It
Butter
If you don’t know how to replace lard in desserts, you can use butter both in doughs and for frying. Butter is one of the best substitutes for fat. One of the characteristics of lard is to make the dough crumbly. You will get the same pleasant effect with the same amount of butter.
Olive Oil
How to replace the lard in the piadina? Olive oil can be a valid alternative. However, to replace the fat with oil, you must pay attention to the doses and reduce the amounts because the oil is much more fluid. One of the characteristics of lard is that it has a neutral flavor, so you will have to choose very light olive oil, avoiding extra virgin olive oil, which has much more character and could compromise the taste of some sweet or delicate dishes.
Margarine
Of vegetable origin, margarine can be used as a substitute for lard, providing the same doses. The only inconvenience is that of flavor because margarine has an intense taste; for this, you will have to adjust with salt and sugar or flavorings.
Beer Or Wine
As many traditional preparations teach us, wine and beer can replace lard, such as taralli or certain sweets of southern cuisine. The proportions are simple, three tablespoons of wine or beer for every 10 g of fat. You will get very soft dough and impeccable leavening.
Coconut Oil
Although it is an entirely vegetable food, coconut oil is very caloric, but it is still ideal as a substitute for lard. Please pay attention to its smoke point in case of frying! As with olive oil, coconut oil will require a lower dose than lard. It is more appropriate for the planning of pastries.
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