My wife’s birthday was quickly approaching last May and I’d envisioned a huge event. There would be tamales and quesadillas filled with musty huitlacoche. Kegs of beer plus margaritas for 50, and there would be salsa for miles. But my show stopper was to be carnitas not unlike those served at Taqueria Nacionale near my office. When taco business was slow I’d prod the staff trying to learn secrets. Why do I taste oranges, and how is each morsel of porcine pleasure surrounded by a savory crust? My new friends were more than accommodating, and in turns out the trick to great carnitas is to take fatty pork that’s marinated in spice and citrus, and deep fry the cubes — in lard.
This is how I found myself on a motorcycle riding around the District, looking for a 25 pound bucket of pork fat. I won’t mention that had I even found this bucket, I’m not sure I could have managed it’s safe delivery. Two wheels don’t really make for efficient bucket transportation, but I was determined to find enough lard to submerge a few pork shoulders. This guy searched all over Brooklyn before determining the stuff was unavailable and decided to render his own. My party however was days away, and I had a few hundred tortillas to roll. Nearly every market inside the beltway carries the stuff in some form. The problem is, they all carry shit.
Almost 100 years ago some really smart guys learned that hydrogenation of fats caused stabilization reducing the need for refrigeration. Suddenly lard could sit out on a grocery shelf for months, exploding profits, and America’s arteries along the way. Turns out that same process produces a fair amount of trans fat, and our collective conscience stepped in. Lard became the devil and flaky pie crusts went out the window instead of resting on the window ledge. The funny thing is unadulterated lard doesn’t have any trans fat at all, and actually contains less saturated fat per tablespoon than butter.
I finally found what I was looking for at the Brookville Supermarket in Cleveland park. While I never got to make the carnitas (Brookville only had a pound) I did use what I’d found to make roast corn and poblano tamales that were rich but not oily and tender tortillas that put store bought to shame. The next time you see lard or shortening in any of your recipes take the time to find a tub whose sole ingredient is lard. Many Latin American markets in the area will keep a small supply in the freezer section. And don’t worry about adding any piggie flavor; the stuff is almost tasteless.
Lard!
