My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

AIBU to use lard to make pastry?

66 replies

Yambabe · 18/06/2016 21:37

Just that really. Had teenage Dniece over for a few hours this afternoon while DSIL went shopping, and as I have a glut of eggs at the moment we did a bit of baking and made some savoury and sweet tartlets.

I don't often make my own pastry but today I thought it would be nice for Dniece to see how it's done from scratch so we made it just like my mum taught me to many years ago - 50/50 lard and butter.

Health-conscious DSIL was horrified to hear this when she came to pick Dniece up and was told about what we'd been doing, apparently lard is poison and nobody uses it to cook with these days and we're all going to drop down dead from clogged arteries at any second etc etc. Lectured me for a good few minutes while I just kind of stood there with Shock this face, then wouldn't let Dniece take any of the goodies home with her.

I know lard isn't the healthiest of foodstuffs but as an occasional thing (I probably make my own pastry half a dozen times a year if that!) surely it's not the end of the world?

So WIBU using lard to make pastry (cos it's sooo much nicer and crispy and stuff with it)? None of us are veggie btw so that wasn't the issue.

I'm grinning about it now thinking back but at the time I wasn't so happy and Dniece was a bit miffed that she'd helped make all these nice things then couldn't take any home. DSIL needs to take a chill pill right?

OP posts:
Report
treaclesoda · 18/06/2016 21:38

Lard makes excellent pastry. It's not like you're using huge blocks of it morning noon and night. I say YANBU.

Report
BIWI · 18/06/2016 21:39

Well, actually, there's no link between saturated fat and coronary heart disease, despite what we've been told over the last 30-40 years.

Lard is what pastry was always made with (in conjunction with butter), and it's what makes pastry so lovely and 'short'.

So you are completely and utterly right to be using lard. And YAdefinitelyNBU

Report
LadyStarkOfWinterfell · 18/06/2016 21:39

Yes she should take a chill pill. Pastry isn't a healthy snack regardless.

Report
TheSpottedZebra · 18/06/2016 21:40

I think lard is coming back into 'fashion' again, so maybe sneer at your poor, outmoded sil ?

Doesn't it make sweet stuff taste a bit piggy? I am veggie so I am not going to do a taste test.

Report
Oysterbabe · 18/06/2016 21:40

Yanbu.
It's no worse than butter and the advice regarding fat is changing anyway.

Report
BIWI · 18/06/2016 21:40

It doesn't have a taste at all. It's very pure/refined.

Report
mineofuselessinformation · 18/06/2016 21:41

It's the way I was taught too.

Report
ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 18/06/2016 21:42

Better than margarine.

Report
ByTheNine · 18/06/2016 21:43

Yanbu - lard pastry is awesome. However, lardy cake is really where it's at.

Report
thenightsky · 18/06/2016 21:44

50/50 lard butter is how pastry should be made.

(A-level cookery grad)

Report
QueenStreaky · 18/06/2016 21:45

Yep, lard is groovy again, apparently. But I still use all butter in my pastry and it's lush Smile.

Report
StillStayingClassySanDiego · 18/06/2016 21:45

I used lard/butter combo to make pastry back in the day.

I use butter alone these days but might re-introduce lard to reduce the amount of butter I use.

Thanks for the head up OP.

Report
janethegirl2 · 18/06/2016 21:45

That's the way I make pastry, 50% lard and 50% butter. I never use marg or low fat stuff as it doesn't make good pastry.

What would your dsil use instead?

Report
Smidge001 · 18/06/2016 21:47

YADefinitelyNBU. That's how you make shortcrust pastry.

She's a doofus. And totally ridiculous not to let your niece have any to take home!

Report
MaureenMLove · 18/06/2016 21:48

I had a similar conversation with DH las week! I made a crumble. 8oz of flour, 4oz fat made up of half and half butter and lard! That's how I did it at school in about 1980 something!

Didn't seem to bother him, once it was on the table!

Report
BIWI · 18/06/2016 21:49

Actually, if she wanted to lecture you about health, she should have been having a go about you using flour Wink

Report
Boleh · 18/06/2016 21:50

I use Trex instead of lard as I don't eat meat but yep, that's what I'd do. You need that much fat whatever form it comes in and if it's solid it's likely to be fairly saturated. I can't believe hydrogenated palm oil is better!
This reminds me of when I was visiting my cousin in the US and I made proper Scottish shortbread with his kids, he was totally appalled at the amount of butter and sugar in it. I was baffled, was he under the impression that the palm oil and corn syrup in the cookies he happily let his kids have was better?!
I've concluded that some people just have no idea what their food is actually made from!

Report
Smidge001 · 18/06/2016 21:50
Report
Smidge001 · 18/06/2016 21:51

Boleh I agree, I think plenty of people have no clue about the ingredients Grin

Report
Smidge001 · 18/06/2016 21:52

Ooh - talking of which, my DH was appalled when he watched them make jam on tv - he had no idea it was like, 50% sugar?! Confused

Report
Wolpertinger · 18/06/2016 21:52

What does she think pastry is made of? It's not a health food Grin

Half lard, half butter makes better pastry. Plus her understanding of fats is out of date.

You just eat a small portion and don't eat pastry every day.

Report
987flowers · 18/06/2016 21:53

Show her this-

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/feb/15/consider-lard

Less saturated fat than butter Grin

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

DramaAlpaca · 18/06/2016 21:53

Half butter & half lard is how my mum taught me to make pastry, and though I say so myself I make really good pastry - so no, YANBU.

Report
SeamstressfromTreacleMineRoad · 18/06/2016 21:58

My Auntie taught me to make pasty like this 60 years ago - none of us have dropped dead yet Smile How else do you get proper 'short' pastry..?
And yes, lard is now being touted as the 'new' thing to use for cooking, as it's less processed than many other fats - just as butter is now recognised as being healthier than any spread/margarine Grin
Your SIL needs to keep up...!

Report
horseygeorgie1 · 18/06/2016 22:03

You are completely and utterly NU! Best pastry is made with lard and butter. Unless the childs diet is normally 100% completely healthy and free from anything nasty, organic, free range, no additives, nothing shop bought, everything completely home grown, home reared and NOTHING added then she is being massively U!!

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.