Get off my a$$ about lard!

[Cindy2428]

Though still in my rather intense learning phase, I think it it comes down to education. I'd give them a blind sample of a vegan soap to compare to lard/tallow soap with the promise they get back to you of which they liked better and why. Here in Indiana in hunting country, my mechanics in the shop would most definitely go for the animal fat soap. My stereotypical mindset of a "Hollywood Vegan", not so much.

 

[AMyers]

My husband is an elk hunter. I SO wanted him to bring some elk fat home and render to make a soap. He forgot. Sigh. Maybe next year. I am on a mission to find lard and tallow local to me. Looks like I have to drive 20 minutes to get tallow. I haven't found lard without a bunch of additives yet, but I haven't checked Wal Fart yet. I'll do just about anything to avoid setting foot in there!

 

[snappyllama]

Check your regular grocery store. They keep is hidden away on bottom shelves most of the time. I also avoid Walmart like the plague - though the one near me now isn't nearly as bad as the ones in Houston were... bleh.

 

[KatieShephard]

I used lard in my soap for the first time a few weeks ago. I'm never going back! It's so conditioning...I would recommend it for anyone, like me, who struggles with dry skin in the winter.

Try it. Just once. If you don't like it, you can send your bars to me

Edit: although my local WalMart carries it, it was cheaper from Wegmans.

 

[Earthen_Step]

I personally hate the massive meat industry and choose not to support it. If I were to use lard/tallow I would purchase it from local farms I trust and like. I'm also not in love with "conventional" farming methods and buy organic/sustainable for everything I can justify. I plan on migrating to 100% organic at some point, at least for the oils (I'm almost there). I just think a lot of the current conventional mass production of one animal/plant is unhealthy for the planet/humanity.

That said, I don't judge any of you for whatever you use! But that is why I don't use lard in my soap.

 

[shunt2011]

I personally love lard in soap. Espcially in my facial soap. I carry soaps with lard and all veggie. That way I appeal to most customers.

 

[dixiedragon]

That's one of the benefits of living in the Deep South - people who eat pork rinds don't get upset about lard soap!

When people ask me about it, I say, "Lard is a great soap making ingredient. It makes a hard, gentle, long-lasting bar of soap."

 

[snappyllama]

That's one of the benefits of living in the Deep South - people who eat pork rinds don't get upset about lard soap!

Off topic, but do y'all remember during the Atkin's diet mania when pork rinds were considered health food? :think: That still cracks me up. Personally, I'm waiting for the potatoes, cheese and chocolate diet. That one I could get behind.

 

[Moody Glenn]

Hello! I also use lard in my soap and occasionally had a few comments about it from customers. I do not plan to change my recipes due to a very small fraction of people having a hissy-fit about it. Most people don't care. The one or two that do I figure will never shop again. The best advice I ever received was "You can't please everyone so get over it and make the people who are pleased even more happy."

I totally understand if someone is vegan, concerned about animal rights or has religious reasons not to have soap made with lard. I applaud them for their tenacity, beliefs and lifestyle. But I do highly question why they complain if they eat bacon for breakfast, ribs at barbecues and ham for Easter. That is lard hypocrisy.

PS: Label your soap as containing LARD. Give proud credit to those wonderful piggies.

 

[IrishLass]

Lard lover here, too.

I came up with a couple of different formulas that include lard, but my favorite is my combo tallow & lard formula. I also use tallow in my shave soap.

I don't sell, but I give away lots of my bars as gifts, and I've only ever had one person ask me if any of my soap contained lard (she avoided lard for religious reasons). Because of this, I believe it's very important to not mince words when it comes to labeling lard soap. If lard is in there, don't try to hide it behind other words that others might not recognize.

When I label my soaps that contain lard (and tallow), I'm very up front with it. The words, "Sumptuous Tallow/Lard Formula" are proudly displayed on the front of my label, and they also listed in the ingredients on the back, of course.

Other than that one person I mentioned above who avoided lard for religious reasons, no one else seems to care what oils/fats I use in my soap. All they know is that they love my soap and they consider it a welcome treat whenever they are gifted with some. The only thing they really seem to be discriminatory over is the scent.

One of these days, I want to get my hands on some leaf lard to use in my pie crust. I normally use all-butter for my crusts, and it makes awesome, flaky crusts for me, but I hear so many wonderful things about the lard crusts of old (before hydrogenation came into vogue) that it's my dream to one day be able to make one with leaf lard.

IrishLass

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

The first soap that I made using lard was actually called "Lard soap # 1" so it was not overly hidden

Off topic, but Snappyllama, I'm on the Sea Food diet - I see food, I eat it!

 

[AMyers]

Check your regular grocery store. They keep is hidden away on bottom shelves most of the time. I also avoid Walmart like the plague - though the one near me now isn't nearly as bad as the ones in Houston were... bleh.

One of my regular stores carries a 4lb bucket of lard, but it's not just lard, it also has several other ingredients, including citric acid. I figured that I don't want to mess with all that other stuff, especially since I'm new. But is that what "everyone" is using? The other store where I regularly shop said they no longer carry lard (though one employee implied that they often will bring it back in for the holidays, because, tamales.)

 

[hlee]

I don't sell but give lots away. I love my lard, don't use it in every soap but personally I like it better than my soaps without it.
No one that I give it to seems to have a problem with it but then again, it's free soap.

 

[KatieShephard]

One of my regular stores carries a 4lb bucket of lard, but it's not just lard, it also has several other ingredients, including citric acid. I figured that I don't want to mess with all that other stuff, especially since I'm new. But is that what "everyone" is using? The other store where I regularly shop said they no longer carry lard (though one employee implied that they often will bring it back in for the holidays, because, tamales.)

I used this one...

 

[dixiedragon]

Mine comes in a green and white bucket and it says Manteca on one side. I think it actually has some citric acid as well, but I've never had a problem with it. My Wal-Mart ussed to carry it in 30 lb buckets, but now the biggest is 4 lb. *sigh*

 

[dixiedragon]

Off topic, but do y'all remember during the Atkin's diet mania when pork rinds were considered health food? :think: That still cracks me up. Personally, I'm waiting for the potatoes, cheese and chocolate diet. That one I could get behind.

Compare pork rinds to a bag of potatoe chips. Pork rinds are actually a better choice for most people! They've got some protein, at least!

My dad's diabetic and I make meatballs with powdered porkrinds instead of bread crumbs.

 

[Jstar]

On the up side, I think lard is making a dietary comeback. Here's a couple of redemptive articles.

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/lard-the-new-health-food

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/cooking-with-lard-baking_n_5212804.html

Every good southern cook used to keep a can of bacon drippings next to the stove or in the fridge. My mama sure did, and it made awesome biscuits and cornbread!

I keep my bacon drippings in a can in the fridge..and I use it alllll the time..I LOVE bacon..and I figure if it can go on my insides with a smile, then it can sure as heck go on my outsides with a smile too LOL

Funny this thread comes up, because I haven't gotten to use lard yet, but Imma gonna..already went and bought it so thats my next soaping adventure.. {and if nobody wants it, that just leaves more for meeeeee hehehehe

 

[Jstar]

I spend three days and several hours rendering my own tallow until it's completely white and hard as a rock with nothing but clear water separating by the final render. It is completely scent free as well. It's a luxury in my opinion in that I spend so much time and effort doing this and have a wonderful final product. I'm proud of it and wouldn't hesitate to tell someone as such seeing as I put so much work into it. That, and my best soaps have a ton of tallow in it. Don't like it? Move along then lard I'm sure is also awesome. Just had to give my 2 cents on the animal fat thing.

Amen sister

 

[dixiedragon]

I've been saving my bacon drippings to recycle into bacon grease soap and people keep THROWING THEM AWAY! :evil:

 

[Jstar]

My closest source of tallow is a butcher an hour from here. All the butchers in town sell their beef fat to some company. And since it is hunting season, there is no one willing to give/sell beef fat . I am sure tallow works as well as lard, I just don't have easy access to it.

Speaking of hunting season..I used to hunt, but got tired of freezing my rear end off...and altho deer is lean, I know there's some fat somewhere...has anyone ever tried deer fat for soap?