Pork lard is a type of lard made from 100% pork fat that has been separated from the meat through a process called rendering. The fatty parts of a pig, such as the pork belly, pork butt, or pork shoulder, are typically used to make lard. Lard is a semi-solid white fat that is solid and opaque at room temperature and turns into a clear liquid at around 95 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on its purity.

Rendering is the process used to extract lard from fatty tissue. To perform rendering, the tissue or meat is cooked slowly until the fat turns into a melted liquid. The liquid fat can be separated from the solids and used for cooking. There are three types of pork lard sourced from a pig: back fat, leaf fat, and caul fat. Back fat is the most common and there is the most of this fat on any one pig. Leaf fat is the pure white, coveted fat, once it is rendered. Caul fat, also known as the lace fat, is the one that simply needs to be rinsed, dried, and properly stored.

Pork lard is a popular cooking fat that has been used for centuries. It fell out of favor when hydrogenated vegetable shortening was invented in the early 20th century, but has become popular again because it contains no trans fats and offers a number of benefits. Lard is used in various savory dishes such as sausages, pâtés, and fillings, and as a replacement for butter, it provides flakiness to pastry.