Frying in pork lard: the noble fat of Mexican cuisine

What is it?

Frying in pork lard is one of the most characteristic techniques of traditional Mexican cuisine, where pork fat is used as a cooking medium to fry, brown, refry and caramelise practically all kinds of ingredients. It is essential for preparing Michoacan carnitas (pork cooked in its own fat until browned), tamales (where the masa is beaten with lard to make it fluffy), refried beans (which take their name precisely from refrying in lard), browned tortillas (totopos, tostadas), chicharrones, gorditas, sopes, picadas and practically any fried snack. Lard provides deep flavour, unctuousness, browns ingredients with a characteristic shiny-golden finish and withstands high temperatures without burning. It has been questioned in recent decades because of cardiovascular health concerns, but it is being re-evaluated by modern nutritionists and chefs as a noble and traditional ingredient.

Origin and history

Pork lard arrived in Mexico with the Spanish conquest in 1521 alongside the pig, an animal unknown in Mesoamerica before the conquest (Mesoamericans cooked with duck, turkey or fish fat, or simply without fat when roasting). The pig adapted perfectly to the Mexican climate and reproduced massively on haciendas and colonial backyards, becoming the main meat animal of mestizo cuisine. According to Larousse Cocina, lard became popular in New Spain from the 16th century as the most practical way to preserve and use pork: it is obtained by cooking pork fat over low heat until clarified, and is kept for months without refrigeration. Michoacan carnitas developed especially in Quiroga (Michoacan) during the 19th century as a technique of cooking whole pig in copper pans with its own lard, salt, orange and sometimes milk, until perfectly browned. Mexico Desconocido documents that traditional tamales require lard to make the masa fluffy: raw masa mixed with lard and beaten for 15 to 30 minutes traps air that makes it light when cooked. The cardiovascular concern of the 1970s to 90s partially displaced lard in favour of vegetable oils in urban kitchens, but nutritionally lard has 40% saturated fat and 60% unsaturated fats, a more balanced proportion than palm oil or coconut oil.

Characteristic ingredients

Frying in lard has specific applications. For carnitas: large cubes of pork (shoulder, rib, loin, belly, skin) are submerged in a pan of hot clean lard (ideally copper, Larousse Cocina) and cooked over low-medium heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The fat first boils because of the water that the pieces release; when it evaporates, the real frying begins, which browns the surface. At the end salt, garlic, orange, bay leaves and sometimes milk or cola are added to caramelise. For tortillas and tostadas: lard is heated in a frying pan at 170 to 180 degrees Celsius; tortillas are fried for 30 to 60 seconds per side until golden and crisp. For refried beans: lard is heated in a frying pan; cooked beans with their broth are added and mashed while frying, until thickened and superficially caramelised. For tamales: nixtamal masa is mixed with clarified lard in a 1:3 to 1:4 proportion (lard:masa) and beaten until it 'floats' (a ball of masa floats in water, a sign of correct aeration). For chicharrones: pork skin with a little adhering meat is first cooked in water, then fried in lard at 180 to 200 degrees Celsius until puffed and golden. For general frying (gorditas, sopes, empanadas): lard at 170 to 180 degrees Celsius for crisp frying without excessive absorption.

Cultural significance

Pork lard is a traditional ingredient of Mexican cuisine and part of the UNESCO inscription of traditional Mexican cuisine in 2010. Recent nutritional revaluation, together with the slow food movement and the recovery of traditional cooking, has rehabilitated lard as a noble fat, especially artisanal lard from farm-reared pigs (not industrial). Recent studies show that lard from pasture-raised pigs has a favourable nutritional profile, with a high content of vitamin D and monounsaturated fats similar to olive oil. Mexican fine-dining restaurants such as Pujol, Quintonil, Casa Oaxaca, Origen and others have reincorporated lard as a premium ingredient. Sunday carnitas are a deeply rooted tradition of central and western Mexico: Quiroga (Michoacan) receives thousands of visitors every weekend who arrive to eat carnitas in copper pans. Traditional rural and neighbourhood cooking never abandoned lard; markets, tianguis and eateries continue to use lard for beans, tortillas and stews. The conservation of the Mexican pelon pig (a criollo breed at risk) is an important contemporary cause. The price of artisanal lard in gourmet markets exceeds that of industrial vegetable oils, a sign of its revaluation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between pork lard and vegetable oil?

Pork lard is an animal fat solid at room temperature, with a distinctive flavour and high smoke point (190 to 200 degrees Celsius). It provides deep flavour, golden-reddish browning and crisp texture. Vegetable oils (sunflower, rapeseed, corn) are liquid, neutral in flavour and of vegetable origin. Lard withstands high temperatures better without oxidising, while vegetable oils oxidise more easily when reheated, generating potentially harmful free radicals.

Is pork lard healthy?

Nutritionally, lard has 40% saturated fat and 60% unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), a balanced proportion. It has natural vitamin D in pasture-raised pigs. The traditional cardiovascular concern has been nuanced by recent studies that emphasise that moderate consumption of natural saturated fats is not as harmful as previously believed. Artisanal lard from healthy pigs is preferable to industrial hydrogenated lard.

Why are carnitas cooked in lard?

The technique of cooking pork in its own lard has several advantages: 1) Preservation: pork cooked and submerged in lard is preserved for weeks without refrigeration. 2) Flavour: caramelised fat gives unique deep flavour. 3) Texture: long cooking softens and then browns the surface. 4) Tradition: a technique inherited from French confit and Spanish convent cooking, adapted in Michoacan since the 19th century.

Where does frying in lard in Mexico come from?

Frying in lard arrived with the Spanish after the conquest in 1521, along with the pig, an animal unknown in Mesoamerica before. It became popular in haciendas and colonial convents during the 16th to 18th centuries. Michoacan carnitas are a colonial-mestizo technique developed in Quiroga (Michoacan) in the 19th century. Today it is a fundamental technique of traditional Mexican cuisine, especially in Michoacan, Oaxaca, Puebla, Mexico City and the whole centre of the country.