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Not a Fan of Coconut Oil? Here’s What to Use Instead

Clean Plates Team
|
May 4, 2021
Photo Credit: Feasting at Home

It seems like everyone has gone loco for coconut oil (including us). But what if you need a flaky homemade pie crust? Or you crave the richness of butter? Or maybe you just can’t stand that coconut flavor? Then you need to get cozy with two traditional fats: lard and ghee.

Lard and ghee have been used for centuries, and while you might think of them as unhealthy, that’s not the case! Read on to find out more, including how to best incorporate them into your home cooking routine.

What Is Lard?

Lard is excellent for frying and sautéing and it will seriously up your baking game, but what is it exactly?

Simply put, lard is pig fat. But kick any thoughts of processed hydrogenated lard to the curb. If you opt for pure lard that comes from pasture-raised animals with no added hormones or antibiotics, it can actually be a healthful choice that’s free of trans fats and high in oleic acid, a heart-healthy essential fatty acid.

Buy It: Fatworks Foods Pure Lard, $14

What Is Ghee?

Used for centuries in Indian and ayurvedic cooking, ghee is simply clarified butter. That means it has all of the tasty benefits of butter, without any of the negatives of the milk solids. Ghee is lower in both lactose and casein (which many people have a hard time digesting) and it has a higher smoke point, while being rich in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K-2 and CLA.

Buy It: Tin Star Foods Grassfed Ghee, $15

Or DIY It: How to Make Ghee from Feasting at Home

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