You need pork fat from kidney, back or belly. Or all three.

I like to put mine in wide mouth canning jars, but some people put it in pans, chill it, cut it up and freeze it in freezer bags..

Cube it or run it through a meat grinder- the smaller the piece the faster it will render. It is easier to freeze the fat, then let it slightly thaw before grinding.

5 lbs of pork fat is probably the easiest amount to work with.

The key to rendering is to do it at a low temp. You want it to barely boil, I keep my gas burner on 3 and sometimes a little less… just a gentle bubbling. Hope that makes sense. You don't want to scorch it.

You will want to stir it often.

Fill the cast iron put up with an inch or 2 of water. Add a layer of ground/chopped fat. When the pork fat (pf) starts to float and cooks to a white puffy looking thing, you can begin to add more to the pot.

Let it cook. The cracklings will raise to the surface and as they cook, they will end up sinking back to the bottem of the pot. The fat will look clear and slightly golden when it is finished.

When the cracklings are still white, but no longer floating at the top of the lard, and the lard is clear and golden, it is ready to clarify.

Strain the lard through coffee filters or cheese cloth placed inside a colander or strainer and pour into container of your choice.

The faster you cool it the nicer the texture will be, so mine goes in to the fridge right away.

Some people keep it out but I store mine in fridge or freezer- I want the longest use possible out of it.

I usually place my container that it is being strained into on a plate, as it does tend to drip while I strain. Keeps my mess down. You are probably neater at it then I am, lol. That way I can pour what I dripped into the jar as well.

It will look golden, but when you chill it, it turns to a snowy white.

That is it! It is easy, you just have to pay attention to the temp.

Many people continue to cook the cracklings to a med brown color, season it and bag it… for use in buicuits or on salads. Chicharrones! Yah!

Some people like a little stronger flavor for savory foods and will let the temp be a little higher for a porkier flavor. Some people add spices to it while it cooks and even onion…. i have never done that- I am a purist, lol. But it is intriguing!

Have fun!