Fat as a flavor enhancer

Are you tired of rubbery, flavorless 'lardons' in plastic, where the taste of salt masks everything else?
You think you are buying a natural, handcrafted product... and you end up with a cube full of water and artificial flavorings.

Real lard, which nourishes and seasons French cuisine, has almost disappeared.

Pork butchers and butchers call it 'bardière'.
Lard is found on the back of the animal; it is a piece of fat, without meat.
It is from this section that they obtain the 'barde' used to wrap roasts or casseroles—covering them with a thin layer of fat that melts during cooking.

This lard with herbs does not release water and holds its shape perfectly when cooked.
We use it thinly sliced on a piece of freshly toasted bread, steamed asparagus, or a fillet of fish...
Or cut into small half-centimeter cubes in a risotto, pasta, mash, pumpkin soup, terrines, or pâtés en croûte...

With truffles, it is magical!


We mature the lard for 2 months in salt, then it dries alongside the hams for 6 to 12 months.
Finally, it is rubbed with a blend of organic herbs mainly from the estate: laurel, rosemary, savory, thyme, garlic, juniper...
The laurel and rosemary grow almost wild here and are harvested fresh; all other herbs come from certified organic suppliers.

Fat no longer has a good reputation

Yet, it is the fat that carries the flavor, the texture, the memory of an era when cooking was honest and flavorful.
Today, everything is “0%”: 0 flavor, 0 pleasure, 0 connection to the land.
It is the triple zero.

We have chosen to rehabilitate fat

What is good—that which nourishes and heals.
Our Lard with herbs is born from the union of time, natural salt, and plants from the Quercy Blanc: thyme, savory, rosemary, juniper, laurel...

No adjuvants, no preservatives, no saltpeter or other additives.

Every piece of this lard comes from a pig slowly raised outdoors in wooded pastures.
The animals are raised for 15 to 24 months in woods and meadows, day and night.
They find their own food (fruits, roots, earthworms...) and are supplemented with organic cereals.
Once we have butchered the animal, we age the lard for several months in our cellars, alongside the hams.
How is this Gascon Pork raised?

A lard that seasons everything it touches

A round, deep, almost sweet taste.
A satiny texture.
And above all: a digestible fat, rich in beneficial fatty acids and natural aromas.
Why is this lard so wholesome?

You can:

• cut thin slices for a refined aperitif;
• slip a sliver under the skin of a chicken, over fish, or into a risotto;
• melting it to cook eggs,
• dicing it to cook vegetables,
  

Lard becomes a condiment.

Customer testimonials

"The ventrèche and the lard are extraordinary. As for the aged lard paste, we are only at the beginning of our experiments but are already convinced of its value."
Sabine S.

“Great culinary emotions with extraordinary products (a particular favorite being the Lard and the foie gras...). ”
Perrine & Grégoire

“The art of the ingredient, the lard and the way—at Saint-Géry, it all follows naturally.”
Ghyslaine & Charles D.

What you will no longer have to do

• Adding butter, oil, or flavorings to provide taste.
• Buying 'diced lardons' that smell of industrial pork.
• Throwing away a tasteless product after two uses.
  

Questions & Answers

Why is this lard different?
Because here, fat is not waste but a noble ingredient.
Because it comes from animals raised with respect for 15 to 24 months without stress, between woods and meadows, feeding on what they find and organic cereals.
Because it is naturally aged in our cellars without any additives. Therefore, no carcinogenic nitrites or preservatives.
The herbs are not ready-made blends bought from a wholesaler, but organic and gathered from our garden.

Why is this lard more expensive than others?
Because the price reflects:
- 15 to 24 months of rearing the pig,
- several days of meticulous butchery and meat selection,
- 6 to 12 months of aging the lard,
- years of expertise required to produce it without any additives.

It is the price of the high standards of a chef and farmer who refuses industrial shortcuts.
Rediscover what the word 'flavorful' truly means.

Is the flavor strong?
No, not in the negative sense.
It has aroma, length, an aromatic presence.
But it is not aggressive. The herbs are not there to mask the fat.
They support it.
Are you concerned that the lard will be overpowering and mask the other ingredients?
This is not the case; it is a flavorful lard, without a salty taste, that respects the flavor of vegetables, eggs, fish, or grains.

How to serve it for an aperitif?
Slice it very thinly.
It melts on a slice of warm, crusty toasted bread... like a knob of salted butter.
(Except it is more wholesome than butter, I explain everything here)

How to use it in your cooking?
Two main ways.
In thin slices: on toasted bread, steamed asparagus, hot potatoes, fish, poultry, or eggs.
Diced: in a risotto, pasta, mash, pumpkin soup, pan-fried vegetables, a terrine, or a pâté en croûte.

The lard with herbs is a true flavor enhancer:
Place a thin sliver on a fillet of cooked white fish, for example.
Watch it melt slowly, nourishing the flesh with a delicate, aromatic fat.
You will see how good it is.

Can I replace 'lardons' with this lard?
Yes, absolutely!
Cut it into small half-centimeter cubes and melt it gently.
Then add your vegetables, eggs, or meats.

I am concerned about eating too much fat but want to enjoy my food; what should I do?
The issue is not fat itself, but the quality of that fat.
This comes from an extraordinary animal raised between woods and meadows without stress.
Furthermore, Gascon Pork is a hardy heritage breed renowned for the quality of its fat.
Are you concerned about cholesterol?
Or do you simply wish to maintain your health?
I share the benefits of this fat here

Which quantity to choose?
The 300g size is perfect for discovering the product, cooking a few dishes, and seeing how it fits into your kitchen.
The 1kg size is better if you cook regularly, entertain guests, or wish to use it in more generous preparations: terrines, pâtés en croûte, risottos, poultry, or roasted vegetables.
Start with 300g if you are unsure.
Upgrade to the kilo once you see how quickly it disappears.

What should it be paired with?
It pairs beautifully with seasonal vegetables (asparagus, artichokes, tomatoes, peppers, leeks, butternut squash, potatoes, turnips...) or with eggs, on toasted bread, in a risotto, or with poultry and fish.
And if you are an accomplished cook, you will see the difference in your terrines and pâtés en croûte.

Can it be tasted with truffle?
The pairing is superb: the herbed lard carries the fragrance of the truffle without masking it.
The musky yet delicate flavour of the truffle is magnified by the melting texture and depth of the herbed lard.

Is it suitable if I want to avoid lactose?
Yes, it is an excellent alternative for cooking when you wish to avoid butter or cream.
Particularly if you have guests who are lactose intolerant or allergic.
This herbed lard provides depth and fragrance, and it holds up beautifully during cooking.
Once you have tried it, there is no turning back.

How should it be stored after opening?
After opening, keep it in a cool place, well-protected in breathable paper.
Simply remove it from the refrigerator when it is time to slice it or cut it into cubes.
It is quite simple!
If you wish to enjoy it as an aperitif with guests, take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes beforehand so that it reaches room temperature. You will better appreciate the complex and delicate aromas of this herbed lard.

Are the quantities limited?
Our producers can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and the rearing period for the pigs is very long (6 months for an industrial pig, 15 to 24 months for our Gascon pigs).
We refuse to crowd our pigs; we let them live with plenty of space between woods and meadows. Quantities are therefore very limited.
Each batch of herbed lard leaves the cellar when it is perfectly ready, never before.
When it is gone, one must wait for the next release.

Who is this herbed lard for?
It is for those who still cook.
For those who wish to return to a cuisine that is simple, digestible, and flavourful.
For those who want to reconcile with fat, increasing good cholesterol and reducing the bad.
The fat that reduces bad cholesterol

Recipes

Spelt prepared like a risotto, with pearl onions

Brittany monkfish with lard vermicelli

Butternut squash mock ravioli with lard