Pioneer Living History Museum: Ranch Complex Iron Pot
And here we see an iron pot that was likely used for rendering that pig fat into lard. At the time, lard was used as a cooking fat (such as shortening is used today) and as a spread like butter. According to Wikipedia, "It is an ingredient in various savory dishes such as sausages, pâtés, and fillings" and "Lard may be rendered by two processes: wet or dry. In wet rendering, pig fat is boiled in water or steamed at a high temperature and the lard, which is insoluble in water, is skimmed from the surface of the mixture or separated in an industrial centrifuge. In dry rendering, the fat is exposed to high heat in a pan or oven without water (a process similar to frying bacon). The two processes yield somewhat differing products. Wet-rendered lard has a more neutral flavor, a lighter color, and a high smoke point. Dry-rendered lard is somewhat browner and has a caramelized flavor and has a lower smoke point."
Size: 5815px × 3877px
Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Photo credit: © B. David Cathell / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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