YES, I’m out of the closet – and I have a confession. I cook with lard (mantika ng baboy).
For years, lard was cast as a silent killer. Its reputation was so dire, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was the leading cause of death. But today, that villainous image is being questioned. Many scientific minds are rethinking lard.
Lard was once the fat of choice in kitchens around the world. In the Philippines, alongside coconut oil, it reigned in prewar cooking, prized for its flavor and versatility, especially in urban households. Fast forward to today, and it has all but vanished — driven largely by the belief that lard is deadly.
But what if the advice we’ve been fed for decades was wrong? We’ve been told to fear fat, yet American science journalist Gary Taubes cites US government data showing that nearly half the fat in lard is monounsaturated – the kind that lowers bad cholesterol and raises the good.
“If you replace the carbohydrates in your diet with an equal quantity of lard, it will actually reduce your risk of having a heart attack,” Taubes claims.
Recent studies echo this. Lard contains oleic acid, the same heart-friendly fat found in olive oil. And when home-rendered, it’s free of trans fats – unlike many processed vegetable shortenings.
Nutritionists now emphasize context: lard, used in a balanced diet and replacing ultra-processed oils, may be a net positive.
And here’s the delicious truth: food cooked in lard tastes better. My British ancestors knew this well. So central was it to our diet that the room where we stored food – the larder – was named after it.
Our grannies, who cooked with lard as a matter of course, knew its great strength: it coaxed out flavor. With its high smoking point and unobtrusive taste, lard was ideal for roasting. Potatoes roasted in lard? Masarap!
Today, many cooks reach for goose or duck fat – sold in fancy jars at great expense. Yet the same cooks often shun lard. Perhaps it’s the packaging. Or the name. Lard is hardly romantic. So how about a rebrand? “Pig butter or “Beurre de porc” have a certain charm.
In Britain, lard consumption has plummeted from 55 grams a week to just five. But it’s creeping back. British supermarket lard is highly processed often hydrogenated and treated with bleaching and deodorizing agents – not ideal. In the Philippines, it’s not sold in supermarkets at all. But the best lard is homemade. I’ve been rendering my own for years.
Here’s how:
• Buy tambok ng baboy from a butcher
• Cut into one-inch squares
• Add a quarter inch of water to a heavy pan (to prevent burning)
• Place the fat in the pan simmer over a moderate heat
• After two about hours, pour off the pure pig fat
• Store it in the ref or freeze it – it keeps beautifully.
Some eminent chefs, like Scotsman Jeremy Lee of London’s Quo Vadis, are lard enthusiasts – especially for roasting potatoes and making pastry. “Lard is up there with goose and duck fat,” says Lee. “It’s a very sophisticated ingredient.”
Lard’s decline began when it was branded a health hazard. But the tide is turning. A 2025 review of cooking fats notes that lard is less processed than many seed oils, and its natural composition makes it a viable option for traditional cooking.
The jury may still be out — but lard is enjoying a quiet revival.
Robert Harland is a British resident of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, and an amateur chef.
