Lard (Baking/Frying Fat) — Hidden Processing Agent — Is It Vegan?
Also known as: Pig fat, Rendered pork fat, Dripping (beef or pork)
Not Vegan
This processing agent is derived from animals or their byproducts.
Not required on labels
Must be declared as 'lard' in ingredient lists in EU and UK law. Some chip shops and bakeries do not display full ingredient information and may still use lard without prominent disclosure.
Source
Rendered fat from pigs. Historically the primary fat used in baking pastry, frying, and greasing baking tins.
Used In
Traditional shortcrust and puff pastry, pie crusts, some biscuits, traditional fried foods (chip shop chips were historically fried in lard), some bread products, tortillas.
How to Avoid
Check pastry and pie ingredients — 'suitable for vegetarians' on UK products confirms no lard. Traditional chip shop chips may use beef dripping or lard — ask. Many traditional British bakery items (pork pies, Greggs sausage rolls) contain lard.
Editorial Notes
Lard was the dominant baking fat in Western cuisine until the early 20th century when hydrogenated vegetable shortening (Crisco, introduced 1911) began replacing it. Many traditional recipes calling for 'shortening' or 'vegetable shortening' were originally written for lard. Lard pastry has a different texture to butter or vegetable shortening pastry — some chefs argue it remains superior for certain applications.