GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!! I will be needing that and so will be doing THAT immediately. ( I skip breakfast.)

Butter, and lard. Not at all inconvenient, when one considers that the stove was usually burning. A small pan on the side with butter or lard would have it in liquid form while the cook was beating the eggs. I stopped using veg oil long before I started low carb - that is, while I was still doing a lot of baking; not a problem.

Lard seems to be a nuetral flavor, perhaps only the commercially available types. Seems WALMART is carrying lard and such. Shocking.

Lard is quite neutral for most uses. Very sensitive tongues might find a slight taste of pork where it "shouldn't" be, but most people wouldn't, I don't think. If you have a "real" butcher anywhere near you can get pork fat, though you might have to pre order. Best lard is is the leaf lard, that is, the fat from around the kidneys. But good, clean pork fat is still good, even if not from that particular part of the pig. Rendering is a no brainer, especially if you have a slow cooker. Cut the fat into small pieces, smaller the better (I put it through a meat grinder, though most people now would probably use a food processor). Put it into the slow cooker, or a heavy pot. Turn on to lo, or set in an oven at a low temp (would need to look up the best temp), and let it cook till fat is rendered out. I use a ladle to scoop everything out periodically, and pour it through a sieve, with the solid bits going back in the pot. The hot lard can be poured into a sterilized canning jar, and a new lid put on, and then stored in a cool place. Doesn't need canning, but can be frozen. Solid bits are a nice snack, or salad topping. Time consuming, but not labor intensive.

Excellent info Verbena, Thank you!
How long do you think the rendered lard can be kept before it goes bad?

Yes, I render the beef fat. Cut into medium dice and rendered slowly. In the oven is easiest as I dont have to tend it as often. Very low oven, about 200.

I can only get beef fat from the butcher. THey do not trim any pork products as all pork products arrive prepackaged for sale. The one local butcher closed down a few years ago, and the pizzaria moved to that location. The nearest city is a likely place to find a butcher shop. Though I have not asked at Whole FOods yet. Maybe there.

I too nosh on the crumbles; and include them in soups and stews for the family. A little salt on the crumbles.... delish!

Meme, I keep my fats in the freezer as they will go rancid. Best to use before that point to decrease oxidative stress on the body. In the freezer I havent had any fat go rancid.

Use small canning jars.

If I do plan to use within a week, I have started using a small 3 x 5 glass storage container and fill with about an inch of tallow. Easier to cut chunks out--with a PLASTIC knife so as to not break the glass. ( Better to break the plastic knife than the glass, lol, or remove from glass to cutting board and cut into chunks.) THe stuff is rock hard.

On another forum ppl talk about MCT in their coffee to make them feel full. Is this the same idea. I’ve not done either as generally I’m not hungry. Occasionally around 3:30 I start getting cravings for ‘salt’ ... and wine. 4:00 was my wine time, but not anymore. 🙁

LOL hard to change habits for sure!

Yes, CO is a good MCT oil. Personally Im still at the cream stage, and not likely to use CO in my coffee; just a matter of preference. THough I do like CO for general sauteing!

MCT jump to the head of the line for energy use as I remember. Dr May found it effective for a work around when her DH had Alzheimers-- seemed the brain was less able to use glucose but could use CO. She based this on an experimental drug--- CO is a natural source of this chemical, 2 tablespoons of CO had the same amount of chemical as used in the studies; and her hubby could function much better: put his clothes on correctly, not a backwards cardigan for example. SHe was able to help him be more functional but did not stop the progression of the disease.

She did not have him go low carb nor fasting.

Meme#1 - I have kept it successfully on a cool pantry shelf for months, but would recommend the back of the fridge as being a better place, or the freezer, if there is room. By putting the lard hot into a canning jar, and then placing on a new canning lid & ring, as it cools it will make a vacuum, and pull down the lid. Not exactly canning, and i'm sure not recommended by any food safety expert, but I find it works for me.
And I agree with Arielle that beef tallow is very hard, and most accessible if stored in small quantities. Lard is softer, though small jars are still best, especially if you don't use it often.

I guess that if tallow gets very hard when it freezes maybe pouring it into ice cube treys then poping them out and putting them in freezer bags to use as you need them would be a good solution.

Right now, I pretty much make just the right amount of lard from my daily bacon. I put the extra, if any, in a little container next to the stove. It's so good to start any saute for a soup base and especially good for cooking steaks and beef patties.

Pulled a jar of tallow out of the freezer over the weekend to make frenchtoast for the kids. No butter until next grocery run, so the choice was grape seed oil, oo, co or tallow. Popped jar into micorwave MINUS THE METAL COVER, and will sit out as I ponder what to saute for after school snacks and dinner for the kids.

Im finding that the time cooking and managing food to keep the food healthy for my famility takes a lot of time. I have often thought that we as a society are trading in health for a double income. These thoughts are often ponders as I contemplate the need to go back to work full time for the next 20 years. How does one keep growing quality foods and then make quality meals??

I still see either or, but not both.

Watching the rooster cruise around for yummies as they free range on this very cold morning. THey like access to the bare ground to find odds and ends, and walk on the downed trees!! lol

I found at the store the other day that the canned oysters from China were packed in cottonseed oil.
I once had a cattleraiser tell me that due to feeding the cattle cottonseed, he didn't have to worm them for a year....
Seems that cotton is heavily sprayed with pesticides!

As I understand it, cotton can be sprayed more because it is not considered a food crop. I won't buy anything with cottonseed oil. I buy Crown Prince brand smoked oysters at Trader Joe's, though I've seen them elsewhere as well. They are packed in olive oil.

The other concern is also where these oysters are harvested.
Do you know what country Crown Prince oysters are from?