Lard and Tallow, How do I love Thee

[not_ally]

let me count the ways; your creaminess, hardness, whiteness, general feel goodness in the shower. I am a novice to soapmaking, but now that I have found you, I don't think I will ever say goodbye.

I am so glad that I am not vegetarian/vegan. Even if I was, I think it would be kind of cool that there was a way to use oils that would otherwise get thrown away and are so great in soap. I love you, lard and tallow.

Excuses to Elizabeth Barret Browning. Although I'm sure she would be on board if she had made soap.

 

[misfities]

Dear Lady Lard-Lover,

I, too, am newly discovering Lard soap. How long do you typically let yours cure for? I made the first batch that I'm really happy with and, to be honest, its in pretty good shape after just four days. Not giving into the temptation of testing it out just yet though.

 

[not_ally]

I CPOP and use sodium lactate for every batch, so they pop out pretty easily the next day, which is good because I am super impatient to see how swirls turn out. But I still wait a minimum of 4 wks (more if the soap is not really hard) to give them them out. Don't think there is any way to get around the cure ..

 

[Susie]

Even CP soap only needs 4-6 week cure time. If you think the soap is good at 4 days, just wait until you try it at 4 weeks!

 

[PinkCupcake]

Never tried tallow, but I adore lard! When I first started soaping, I was adamant about not using animal products, but I got curious about lard, and now I never want to make soap without it! Lard, lard, lard!!

 

[Dahila]

Almost every of my soap contains lard and tallow (I got like 20 pounds of tallow frozen) and with 30 lard 20 tallow ; soap is creamy like a dream ) We eat animals at least I am a meat eater , and I am happy that all of it is used. Nothing should go to waste.

 

[dixiedragon]

Lard is freaking magical. Not just in soap - trying using lard instead of Crisco in cooking. OMG. My mom makes these AMAZING chicken and dumplings, but you'd get a few big ones and a lot of small ones - and sometimes the dumplings would just dissolve. The recipe calls for butter and then it was "updated" to use Crisco by my great-grandmother sometime in the 60s or 70s. On a whim, we used lard, and LOTS of HUGE fluffy dumplings.

 

[not_ally]

Sorry about= the bolded text in my post, y'all, did not mean to shout, am just a techno idiot.

Lard/tallow are incredible, I feel sorry for people who cannot use them. I kind of admire vegans/vegetarians for being willing to sacrifice so much good food, but I will never be one. And as long as humans eat meat, it seems awesome that there is such a great way to use all of the stuff that might be wasted otherwise.

DD, I have been meaning to use some tallow to make fries, it is supposed to be great for that (like McDonalds fries in the old, old days.) Also either lard or tallow for making chopped liver; my ex was Jewish and his mom made the best chopped liver, which I could never replicate, in part b/c I never had lard or tallow around before I started making soap. Hopefully this will help.

 

[Be Love]

I love lard! Lately, I've been trying to perfect an all veg, no palm recipe as requested by a friend but, nothing compares to lard! (I feel like Sinead OConnor...nothing compares, to. you. ....) I miss my lard!
Does anyone out there happen to be of a spiritual faith that does not consume pork products or know of anyone who is? What is their take on using lard in a soap? Is it ok because it doesn't enter the body or, better safe than sorry, no lard whatsoever?

 

[PinkCupcake]

Does anyone out there happen to be of a spiritual faith that does not consume pork products or know of anyone who is? What is their take on using lard in a soap? Is it ok because it doesn't enter the body or, better safe than sorry, no lard whatsoever?

It varies. A friend who is Jewish will use my lard soaps, but her mom has asked for lard-free bars. I have friends who are vegetarian who are ok with lard, and some who are grossed-out by it.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

........... but, nothing compares to lard! (I feel like Sinead OConnor...nothing compares, to. you. ....) I miss my lard! ..........

I am limited to the number of smilies, but I want to put a few million of the laughing smilies here! Brilliant.

 

[dixiedragon]

It varies. A friend who is Jewish will use my lard soaps, but her mom has asked for lard-free bars. I have friends who are vegetarian who are ok with lard, and some who are grossed-out by it.

I would love to hear from a theologian about this. However, I assume that most practicing Jews and Muslims are not going to want a lard soap. Even if it's okay to use it as soap for them, i think that living in an anti-pork culture would make lard soap very gross to them.

 

[Susie]

I asked a local rabbi(reformed) about the use of lard in soap. He said if it is not consumed, it is fine according to the Torah. BUT, if it bothers someone, then common sense says they should avoid it. Just label your soap correctly, and let folks decide for themselves.

As for Muslims, the ones I have known personally won't even allow items made with pigskin enter their house, I would think that any use of lard is out of the question. Please note that those are the ones I have known personally, which represents a very tiny number that are from a particular region under the teaching of one religious leader. This may not be representative of any other Muslims anywhere. And before anyone thinks I am talking bad about a certain religion, I am not. Even in my religion, people's beliefs on what is acceptable or not differs WIDELY from one individual church to another.

 

[RogueRose]

Does anyone know how to deodorizing beef tallow or if it needs to be deodorized?

 

[Be Love]

Thanks for your input everyone. I agree, I guess it comes down to labelling correctly and letting the individual decide what's right for them. Whenever anyone looks at my soaps or I give any away I strongly encourage them to read the ingredient list, however, I have found that they are so caught up in the scents that they don't really pay attention to what's in it! I've had to ask people if they have allergies to anything or if they are opposed to animal products prior to giving them soap! I would hate to think they used the soap and then found out later that it contained something they were allergic or opposed to.
P.S. I love lard!

 

[Be Love]

I am limited to the number of smilies, but I want to put a few million of the laughing smilies here! Brilliant.

Lol! Thanks EG!