For pie crust (American and British style), leaf lard is the best to combine with butter. So far, I've only seen online sources. Local would be better, if anyone can help.
I've gotten it at The Swinery in West Seattle. Call first--they don't always have it, but with a day's notice they rendered some just for me.
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The Swinery
3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
I've picked it up at the Farmers Market from Skagit Valley Ranch. Combine it with butter for the best pie crust you've ever made. I want to say they are at the West Seattle Market on Sunday but check their website for Farmers Market locations.
Samish Bay Cheese and Olsen Farms generally have it as well. Both are at UD and other farmers markets.
Wooly Pigs at the U District farmers market has it.
Sea Breeze Farms has it, too. Though it ain't cheap.
More complicated than it seemed at first. Samish Bay Cheese only sells it unrendered. Olsen only has back fat, or fatback, not leaf lard. Skagit River Ranch said they had it, but it was my first call and I didn't realize I needed to ask if it's rendered. I do NOT want to do my own rendering.
I didn't call the Swinery yet, mainly because it's a long drive from Lake City, where I live when I'm in Seattle, to West Seattle.
I'll check with Wooly Pig and Sea Breeze tomorrow, or via email tonight.
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The Swinery
3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
I've special ordered both leaf lard and leaf fat from Sea Breeze. Availability does depend on how many pigs they have for slaughtering this week.
Wooly Pig checks and replies to emails at night, so I now know that one can buy their rendered leaf lard in 4 pound pails for $20 at the UD market. They say it will keep for a year in the fridge.
Their website, www.woolypigs.com, will explain why they think their Mangalitsa breed and Austrian style butchery is superior. On this I have no personal experience.
Rendering is super easy. Seriously. Put the leaf lard in a pyrex dish, low oven (I think mine was set to 200 degrees) and put it in overnight. Strain thru paper towels into a storage container. Let it set and then it's ready for pie crusts.
Many Mexican and Chinese markets carry lard. The problem is in determining whether it has been partially hydrogenated. Obviously, hogs raised on traditional diets produce better lard than those produced in industrialized settings, although any lard is better than industrial PUFA oils. The stuff is easy to render from leaf, although it does stink up the house. It can also be easily rendered on an outdoor grill.
I've seen frozen leaf lard at Bob's Meats in Columbia City. From the looks of it, it was unrendered... It might be worth a phone call before you head down here to get some. Good luck!
I have had no trouble getting fatback from the Viet Hoa supermarket in the ID, they should have leaf lard, as these folks believe in using "the whole buffalo."
For quality, definitely the Swinery; Don and Joes is very likely but recommend calling first.
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The Swinery
3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
I ended up getting it at Wooly Pigs. http://woolypigs.com/ They sell their Mangalitsa-breed leaf lard at the U District Farmers Market. There's a lot of hype about the breed on their website. I have no idea how much is real. Whatever, the price is actually better than many other farms. $20 for 4 lbs, and it keeps in the fridge or freezer for a very long time.
Rainshadow Meats has it, they are in the Melrose Building.
The Guadalupe Market in Burien -- yes!! Bonus -- it's right next door to the Goodwill, for all you thrift store whores out there.
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