lard (redirected from Animal Shortening)

lard, hog's fat melted and strained from the tissues, an important byproduct of the meatpacking industry. The highest grade, leaf lard, is from the fat around the kidneys; the next best is from the back, and the poorest from the small intestines. Lard is classed by method of preparation as prime steam, rendered in a closed vessel into which steam is injected; neutral, melted at low temperature; kettle-rendered, heated with added water in steam-jacketed kettles; and dry-rendered, hashed, then heated in cookers equipped with agitators. Good lard melts quickly and is free from disagreeable odor. Pure lard (99% fat) is highly valued as a cooking oil because it smokes very little when heated.