PIE CRUST RECIPE WITH LARD RECIPES

Steps:

• Place butter and lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove and cut both into small pieces.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times. Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy. Add lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times. Remove lid of food processor and spritz surface of mixture thoroughly with water. Replace lid and pulse 5 times. Add more water and pulse again until mixture holds together when squeezed. Place mixture in large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place 2 metal pie pans in the refrigerator to chill.
• Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut along 2 sides of the plastic bag, open bag to expose dough, and sprinkle both sides with flour. Cover again with plastic and roll out with a rolling pin to a 10 to 11-inch circle. Open plastic again and sprinkle top of dough with flour. Remove pie pans from refrigerator and set first pan on top of dough. Turn everything upside down and peel plastic from bottom of dough. Place second pan upside down on top of dough and flip again. Remove first pan from atop dough. Trim edges if necessary, leaving an edge for meringue to adhere to. Poke holes in dough and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of dough and fill with dry beans. Press beans into edges of dough and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans and continue baking until golden in color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before filling.

Steps:

• Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
• Place the flour, salt and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag, and whisk them together.
• Using a melon baller, scoop 1/2-1 inch balls of the lard directly into the flour, shaking the bag occasinally to distribute and cover them with the flour.
• If the room is warm and the lard starts getting very soft, place the bag in the freezer for about 10 minutes before proceeding.
• It is is still firm but squishable once it's all been added, using a rolling pin, roll together the lard and flour until the lard is in thin flakes.
• Place the bag in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
• Empty the flour mixture into the cold bowl, scraping the sides of the bag to release all of it.
• Set the bag aside.
• Sprinkle on the ice water and vinegar, tossing gently with a rubber spatula to incorporate it evenly.
• Spoon the mixture back into the plastic bag (if using caul fat, which is softer, the dough will already hold together, so it's easier to empty it out onto a piece of plastic wrap and knead it lightly from the outside of the wrap).
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Sprinkle the dough on both sides with a little whole wheat flour, wrap it with plastic wrap, flatten into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
• STORES refrigerated up to 3 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
• NOTE: When rolling the dough, roll it directly on the counter or on plastic wrap.
• Sprinkle both sides of the dough and the counter or plastic wrap amply with whole wheat flour as needed to keep it from sticking.
• (The whole wheat flour will not toughen it and will give it extra crunch and a lovely, wheaty flavor.) POINTERS FOR SUCCESS: Pay particular attention to temperature, keeping the lard well-chilled.
• When mixing the lard flakes/flour mixture with the liquid, stir gently so as to maintain large flakes of lard.