HOME-RENDERED RECIPES

If you look at pictures of pigs from more than half a century ago, you’ll see that most of them look a lot fatter than today’s commercial animals. That’s because the pork industry took a big hit when the medical community targeted fat in the mid-20th century. Old-fashioned lard pig breeds quickly fell out of favor, and pork began being advertised as “the other white meat.” Hogs are making a comeback today, though, thanks to the increasing demand for pastured pork and the rising popularity of charcuterie, or cured meats.

Because friends know how health-conscious I am, they’re sometimes surprised to hear me talk about cooking with lard. But pork from our