Pork butter and lard

[Debra Stuart]

I was at the Ferry Building yesterday and noticed that Boccalone had tubs of lard for $10 and something called pork butter for $5, also in a tub. Apparently it's a by-product of lard-making that's been blended with rosemary and garlic.

[WCchopper]

Is the pork butter like lardo?

[Zeldog]

Never heard of pork butter, but I found this.

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2009...

It ain't lardo and it ain't butter, but it sounds like it might be tasty.

[Adamsimpson]

Nothing like it. Its heavily seasoned pork parts, not just fat. Skin, meat, organs, fat, etc. all compose this amazing stuff.

[Robert Lauriston]

I don't believe there are any organs in the pork butter. It should just be the solid remains of the fat and whatever bits of skin, meat, and connective tissue came with it.

[Robert Lauriston]

The pork butter is great stuff. It's the solid bits left over after the lard is strained off, puréed with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. Tastes like rillettes, only smooth and creamy. The tub holds a pound, so $5 a pound.

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/laur...

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Boccalone Salumeria
1 Ferry Building # 21, San Francisco, CA

[Adamsimpson]

I can vouch for this pork butter as well. Its amazing. I love it for fried eggs and roasting potatoes.

[wolfe]

Sounds like seasoned pork gribenes.

[Robert Lauriston]

Gribenes are chicken or goose cracklings. The pork equivalent is pork rinds aka chicharrón. I don't believe there's any skin in the pork butter.

[wolfe]

Have you changed your mind since February?
"I don't believe there are any organs in the pork butter. It should just be the solid remains of the fat and whatever bits of skin, meat, and connective tissue came with it."
Robert Lauriston Feb 18, 2009 09:03AM

[Robert Lauriston]

Not much, anyway, given the texture. Try it yourself and see what you think.

[wolfe]

Sorry, severe treif.

[Ruth Lafler]

Do you suppose their lard is better than the fresh lard you can get at almost any Mexican meat counter for a couple of bucks?

[Zeldog]

I guess it depends on the quality of the pig and which cuts each place uses. One could do a lard tasting (I'll pass, thanks), but short of that, I'd go with a Mexican place as long as it truly is fresh lard and not the mass produced, hydrogenated stuff. And for price comparison, if they sell it in a 16 oz tub, that's 16 ounces by volume, not by weight, so the Boccalone price would be a bit over $6/pound.

Regarding "pork butter" it's a stupid name, but a great idea. If you have some pork fat you can make good cracklins and not so good lard or good lard and not so good cracklins. Next time I make lard I'll give pork butter a try.

[Robert Lauriston]

The pork butter is one pound by weight. I don't know if the same is true of the lard but I imagine it is.

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/laur...

[SteveG]

What's the $ / lb work out to for that tub of lard? It seems pricey, but then again good butter's getting up there lately too.