Lard is made of rendered pork and this ingredient is used in many retro cook books. You can use it to prepare crispy roast turkey skin, flaky short pie crust, tortillas, slow cooked casseroles, delicate cakes as well as cookies. Lard is also tasteless, odourless and it can be stored in the fridge for a very long time. There may be instances where you are out lard in your kitchen but with the changing times there are a lot of other substitutes you can use in place of lard for tortillas as well as other dishes. Below are some of the best substitutes for lard in tortillas.
Contents
Butter
One of the best substitutes for lard in tortillas is butter. If you are in need of a backup option that can work in most recipes then butter is your best option. Butter can also be used in most baking applications such as to crisp up roasted poultry, in batters and more. Butter is a versatile ingredient and it will give an end result that is similar to what lard can give you. There is only one exception when it comes to cooking with butter in place of lard, which is making sure that you cook on very low heat unlike lard that can be cooked using high heat. Overall, butter is one of the best substitutes you can use in place of lard. You can also consider it when cooking a dish like stir-fry apart from making tortillas.
It is always important to check whether the butter you want to use is 100% butter, not a blend because that will reduce the fat content. Since lard is 100% fat, you will need pure butter even though butter contains around 85% fat based on the brand. In order to replace lard with butter increase the amount of butter you will use in place of lard in some recipes. This is important especially if you want to bake. Baking recipes such as cakes and pie crust normally fail when you reduce your fat content.
Beef Tallow
Another great alternative for lard in tortillas is beef tallow, or dripping. Beef tallow is very similar to lard and it is a product of rendered down beef fat. This is a great option for people on a Kosher or Halal diet who cannot eat pork. When replacing lard with beef tallow use the same quantity of beef tallow as you would lard in any recipe and you can expect similar results. Beef tallow, like lard, is also very high in calories so it is not a good option if you are on a calorie controlled diet. Beef tallow is also not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. However, beef tallow is one of your best substitutes if you are in need of an alternative to lard in tortillas.
Coconut Oil
Also another great alternative for lard in tortillas is coconut oil. Coconut oil is a good alternative for lard if you are going to be frying or cooking at a high heat. Also, coconut oil has a high smoking point, like that of lard. Most baking recipes add coconut oil so you can use it in cakes and biscuits as well. Coconut oil is also ideal if you are on a plant-based diet. Simply use the same quantity of coconut oil as you would lard in any recipe if replacing lard with coconut oil. It is important to take note that coconut oil imparts a subtle coconut flavour which many people may not like. Otherwise it makes a good substitute for lard in tortillas and other recipes.
Vegetable Shortening
Also on our list of some of the best substitutes for lard in tortillas is vegetable shortening. However, vegetable shortening is not widely used by a lot of people since it lost its appeal in the second half of the 1900’s. Vegetable shortening is made from soybean, vegetable or palm oil and it is a very close alternative for lard. It has a high fat content, but it can work for anyone on a restricted diet such as Halal, Kosher, vegan or vegetarian. Vegetable shortening has a high smoke point just like lard so if you are frying you can use this option instead of butter. When replacing vegetable shortening with lard you can use it at a 1 to 1 ratio.
Olive Oil
Olive oil can work as a great substitute for lard in tortillas. You can also use it in a lot of recipes as well as in baking. It offers a great plant-based substitute for lard. However, take note that this oil adds a mild taste of olives so it will not be perfect for every dish. If you have a bottle of extra virgin olive oil you will find that is has a smoke point that is relatively low so you may want to consider a substitute such as canola oil if you are frying.
Canola Oil
Just like olive oil, canola oil can make a great substitute for lard in tortillas. Canola oil can also be used in a number of recipes even in baking. It is your best alternative if you are trying to cut down the amount of calories in your cooking. This is because canola oil and lard are far apart when it comes to the amount of the saturated fat they contain. Canola oil has the least amount of all common oils at 6 percent, and lard has about 39 percent. In addition, canola oil also has more healthy monounsaturated fat, with 62 percent compared to lard’s 45 percent.
Avocado Or Mashed Banana
The last option to replace lard in tortillas is avocado or mashed banana. Also if you use avocado or banana in your baking then you should expect the same result as to what you would get from lard. If you are making pastry you might want to make this your last option as a back-up option and consider other options on the list. Avocado or mashed banana are perfect substitutes for lard if you are baking muffins, cookies, bread or cakes. This is because these substitutes provide good moisture, without the high calories.