Buy fat in Philly?

April 27, 2012 11:05 AM

Where can I buy lard and/or beef tallow (to eat) in Philly? Italian Market, right? Is there a butcher you really like and trust that you can recommend? If I want to get some today, by what time do I have to get over there?
posted by zeek321 to food & drink (10 answers total)

In many of the supermarkets near me in New England lard is right on the shelf next to the butter and butter substitutes. Snow Cap Lard is the most common brand.
posted by XMLicious at 11:10 AM on April 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Personally, I'd only go to the Italian Market if I were already nearby; I've gotten burned with crappy purchases there.

Instead, why not go to the Reading Terminal Market? Here's the listing of butchers there. I have always been pleased with my purchases from the Terminal Market. Plus you can go to 12th Street Cantina (yum).

(Lived in Philly for 5 years, miss it terribly, and SO's family were Italian grocers in South Philly!)
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:13 AM on April 27, 2012

Don't buy hydrogenated lard, like Snow Cap, if you can buy fresh lard from a butcher and render it yourself.
posted by artistic verisimilitude at 11:37 AM on April 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

If you can, get "Leaf lard," which is lard from around the pig's kidneys. It's considered the best stuff.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:48 AM on April 27, 2012

I had good experiences with some butchers at Reading Terminal Market. The ready made food is touristy and generally sucks, but the butchers were knowledgeable and had some more "out-there" stuff like pig knuckles and great osso bucco. The one I used to use was closest to the entryway that's in the tunnel, right across from a really big vegetable vendor. I'm pretty sure it was called "Giunta's Prime Shop." There are other butchers in RTM that might be good - call ahead as soon as possible and see if they have what you're looking for and when they close.
posted by permiechickie at 11:52 AM on April 27, 2012

I was googling around more, and apparently mexican/latino grocery stores usually have lard. Does anyone know if it's hydrogrenated? I called all the butchers at reading terminal, and I also called Whole Foods. No luck. Thanks for everyone's suggestions so far.
posted by zeek321 at 12:04 PM on April 27, 2012

Whoops, nevermind: The Fair Food Farmstand at Reading Terminal has tallow.

http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/merchants/view/15

Thanks, everyone!
posted by zeek321 at 12:11 PM on April 27, 2012

Have you looked at your local grocery store? It may be labeled as manteca (the spanish name for lard)
posted by buggzzee23 at 12:12 PM on April 27, 2012

There's a halal butcher on 24th and Lombard who will probably cut you off some back fat.
posted by chicago2penn at 1:53 PM on April 27, 2012

I'm later here, but if you go by the italian market and talk to Sonny at D'Angelo he can probably hook you up. Be forewarned, he can be a grouch.


Yelp - D'Angelo Bros.
posted by splatta at 11:50 AM on June 6, 2012