*LIMITED STOCK*
This is fresh, homemade rendered lard — made in small batches from pork fat sourced directly from a Victorian farm, rendered the traditional way, and available in 500g portions.
Availability is seasonal and limited — this product is made in small batches when fresh fat is available from the farm. When it's gone, it's gone until the next batch. Store in the fridge on arrival for a shelf life of up to 12 months, or freeze for longer storage.
Lard's oleic-dominant, sebum-mirroring fatty acid profile is what makes it such an outstanding soap making fat and skincare ingredient. Combined with meaningful palmitic and stearic content for bar hardness, and palmitoleic acid that is almost absent from plant oils, lard produces soap bars that are hard, long-lasting, and exceptionally compatible with human skin.
Lard is a legendary soap making fat — and for good reason. It produces some of the finest cold process bars available: hard, white, long-lasting, with a dense creamy lather that rinses clean and leaves skin feeling soft and conditioned. Traditional soap makers across Australia have used lard for generations, and many still consider it the finest all-round soap fat available.
SAP value: 0.138 (NaOH) — enter this into your lye calculator for cold process soap. Most lye calculators already have Lard listed at this value.
Typical usage rate: 30–80% of total oil weight. The most common approach is 60–70% lard as the base fat, combined with 25–30% coconut oil for lather and hardness, and 5% castor oil for bubbles. This produces a classic, hard, white bar with outstanding skin feel.
Trace behaviour: Lard traces at a moderate, predictable pace — faster than olive oil, manageable for beginners and experienced makers alike. Generally well behaved with fragrance and colourant additions.
Finished bar: Hard, dense, bright white bar that cures quickly — typically ready within 4–6 weeks. Lard bars have a characteristic smooth, silky feel that is distinct from plant oil bars and widely considered by experienced soap makers to be one of the most enjoyable bars to use.
Note on home-rendered lard: This lard has not been bleached or deodorised. It may impart a very faint animal fat note to unscented soap — this dissipates during cure and is not detectable in scented bars. It performs identically to commercial lard in cold process soap making.
Fresh rendered lard is one of the most flavourful and stable cooking fats available — and it is staging a well-deserved comeback on Australian tables.
Why cook with lard:
How to use: Use as a direct substitute for butter, vegetable oil, or commercial lard in any cooking application. Spoon directly from the container — it softens quickly at room temperature for easy measuring.
This is a fresh, home-rendered food product — proper storage is essential.
On arrival: Refrigerate immediately. Do not leave at room temperature.
Refrigerated: Up to 12 months in a sealed container in the fridge. Keep the lid on at all times to prevent the lard absorbing odours from other refrigerator contents.
Frozen: Up to 2 years. Portion into smaller amounts before freezing if you prefer to defrost only what you need. Defrost in the fridge overnight — do not microwave from frozen.
For soap making: Use within 12 months of receipt for best results in cold process soap. Older lard that has been well-refrigerated is still usable but check for any off odour before committing to a large batch.
Collections from Springvale: Please allow 24 hours for all collection in store. If same day pickup is required, please contact us to discuss.
Shipping: We ship Australia Wide
What is the INCI name for Lard in cosmetic products?
The correct INCI name for cosmetic labelling is Lard. This must appear on your finished soap or skincare product ingredient list when selling commercially in Australia.
What is the SAP value of Lard for cold process soap?
The NaOH SAP value is 0.138 and the KOH SAP value is 0.193. These are the standard lard SAP values used in all major soap making lye calculators including SoapCalc. Enter Lard at 0.138 for cold process bar soap.
Is this lard the same as commercial supermarket lard?
No — commercial supermarket lard is industrially processed, bleached, deodorised, hydrogenated (in some cases), and stabilised with preservatives. This product is home-rendered from fresh Victorian farm pork fat with no additives or processing beyond the rendering itself. It is closer in character to the lard Australian families would have rendered themselves from their own animals a generation ago.
Can I use this lard to season cast iron?
Yes — lard is one of the best fats for seasoning cast iron cookware. Apply a very thin layer to a clean, dry pan and bake in the oven at 200°C for one hour. Repeat 2–3 times for a durable, non-stick seasoning. Lard's composition makes it ideal for polymerising into a smooth, protective coating on iron and carbon steel surfaces.
How does lard compare to tallow in soap making?
Lard (pork fat) and tallow (beef/sheep fat) are similar in SAP value and soap making performance. Both produce hard, white, long-lasting bars with excellent skin feel. The main differences: lard typically has slightly higher linoleic acid content (producing a marginally more conditioning bar) and a slightly lower melting point than beef tallow. Both are considered traditional premium soap fats — the choice often comes down to availability and personal preference.
Why is this product only available sometimes?
This lard is made in small batches from fresh pork fat sourced directly from a Victorian farm — supply depends on when fat is available from the farm and when rendering time allows. It is not a commercially manufactured product with guaranteed continuous supply. This is intentional — it is a genuine small-batch farmhouse product, not a factory item. Use the Notify Me function to be alerted when the next batch is available.
