I have been making pie crusts and have used a butter/Crisco recipe
from Cook's illustrated for almost a decade.. I thought I would try a
recipe with lard this year & was wondering if I should keep what I
have & just use all lard, or substitute only the butter or only the
Crisco?

The ingredients I usually use a

(9-inch single pie shell)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Boron

Boron Elgar > wrote in
:

> I have been making pie crusts and have used a butter/Crisco recipe
> from Cook's illustrated for almost a decade.. I thought I would try a
> recipe with lard this year & was wondering if I should keep what I
> have & just use all lard, or substitute only the butter or only the
> Crisco?
>
> The ingredients I usually use a
>
> (9-inch single pie shell)
> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
> 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
> 4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
> 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
>
> Boron
>
>

You can use all lard. My grandmother and mother made wonderful pastry
that way. However, I would reduce the total amount by 20-25%, as it
tends to make a shorter pastry. If you can find leaf lard (from around
the kidneys), so much the better.

Wayne

Boron Elgar wrote:

> I have been making pie crusts and have used a butter/Crisco recipe
> from Cook's illustrated for almost a decade.. I thought I would try a
> recipe with lard this year & was wondering if I should keep what I
> have & just use all lard, or substitute only the butter or only the
> Crisco?
>
> The ingredients I usually use a
>
> (9-inch single pie shell)
> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
> 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
> 4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
> 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
>
> Boron
>

Substitute for the vegetable shortening and leave the butter for flavor.
Also, the recipe may depend on the moisture in the butter.
You might look for an all-shortening recipe and substitute lard for all the
fat.

Best regards,
Bob

Boron Elgar wrote:
>
> I have been making pie crusts and have used a butter/Crisco recipe
> from Cook's illustrated for almost a decade.. I thought I would try a
> recipe with lard this year & was wondering if I should keep what I
> have & just use all lard, or substitute only the butter or only the
> Crisco?
>
> The ingredients I usually use a
>
> (9-inch single pie shell)
> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
> 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
> 4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
> 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water


I would use lard 100%. Nothing makes a flakier pie crust than lard.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard
1/4 cup ice cold water (approximate, it depends on the flour you use)

Becca

Becca > wrote in :

> Boron Elgar wrote:
>>
>> I have been making pie crusts and have used a butter/Crisco recipe
>> from Cook's illustrated for almost a decade.. I thought I would try a
>> recipe with lard this year & was wondering if I should keep what I
>> have & just use all lard, or substitute only the butter or only the
>> Crisco?
>>
>> The ingredients I usually use a
>>
>> (9-inch single pie shell)
>> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
>> 1/2 teaspoon salt
>> 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
>> 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
>> 4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
>> 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
>
>
> I would use lard 100%. Nothing makes a flakier pie crust than lard.
>
> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 1/4 cup lard
> 1/4 cup ice cold water (approximate, it depends on the flour you use)
>
> Becca
>

There is usually a good no-fail pie crust recipe on the box the lard comes
in. From memory I believe it includes lard, vinegar, raw egg, ice cold
water, and flour (in no applicable order).

On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 16:10:27 GMT, hahabogus > wrote:

>Becca > wrote in :
>
>> Boron Elgar wrote:
>>>
>>> I have been making pie crusts and have used a butter/Crisco recipe
>>> from Cook's illustrated for almost a decade.. I thought I would try a
>>> recipe with lard this year & was wondering if I should keep what I
>>> have & just use all lard, or substitute only the butter or only the
>>> Crisco?
>>>
>>> The ingredients I usually use a
>>>
>>> (9-inch single pie shell)
>>> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
>>> 1/2 teaspoon salt
>>> 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
>>> 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
>>> 4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
>>> 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
>>
>>
>> I would use lard 100%. Nothing makes a flakier pie crust than lard.
>>
>> 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
>> 1/2 teaspoon salt
>> 1/4 cup lard
>> 1/4 cup ice cold water (approximate, it depends on the flour you use)
>>
>> Becca
>>
>
>There is usually a good no-fail pie crust recipe on the box the lard comes
>in. From memory I believe it includes lard, vinegar, raw egg, ice cold
>water, and flour (in no applicable order).

Mine is Morrell lard, and I usually see Armour in the stores. This
package has a very simple recipe that is just flour, salt, lard &
water.

Thanks to all for suggestions as they all sound great. I may have to
tack them all to a wall & throw a dart to choose which I will use.

Boron

On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 16:10:27 GMT, hahabogus
> wrote:

> Becca > wrote in :
> >
> >
> > I would use lard 100%. Nothing makes a flakier pie crust than lard.

Just like Grandma's - YUM!
> >
> > 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
> > 1/2 teaspoon salt
> > 1/4 cup lard
> > 1/4 cup ice cold water (approximate, it depends on the flour you use)
> >
> > Becca
> >
>
> There is usually a good no-fail pie crust recipe on the box the lard comes
> in. From memory I believe it includes lard, vinegar, raw egg, ice cold
> water, and flour (in no applicable order).

Grandma didn't use vinegar or egg in her crust... the egg
sounds like some East Coast recipe writer Frenchified it.