A Packer or Butcher who makes any quantity at all of Kettle Rendered Lard, should have a Rendering Kettle in which the Lard is rendered, a Settling Tank in which the Lard is settled, and a Lard Cooler with an Agitator in it. The Lard Cooler and Agitator should be double-jacketed, so that cold water can be run into the jacket to cool the Lard.
When equipping a plant with a Settling Tank and Cooler, we advise that the Settling Tank have two faucets in it; one at the extreme bottom and the other about one inch from the bottom. Then, when the water is drawn off of the Settling Tank, it should be drawn off from the lowest faucet, and when the Lard is drawn off into the Agitator, it should be run off through the faucet which is an inch from the bottom. In this way, small particles which may be in the Lard will remain in the bottom of the Settling Tank, in the one inch layer of Lard which remains in the bottom of the Settling Tank. After all the Lard is run off through the upper faucet, what remains between the upper faucet and the bottom of the Settling Tank should be drawn off through the lower faucet and should be kept until the next time Lard is rendered, and then should be re-rendered with the next batch.
After the Lard has been rendered and has been treated in the Rendering Kettle, with the Lard Purifier, strain it through a cheese cloth into the Settling Tank, allow it to settle for two hours, then draw off all the water from the bottom faucet. After the water has been drawn off, draw off the Lard from the top faucet and again run it through cheese cloth, into the Cooler and Agitator. Start the Agitator and allow it to run until the Lard is thick and white, like cream, and then run it off into buckets or tubs.
A good way to set up the Settling Tank and the Cooler and Agitator, is to have the Settling Tank high enough up, on a bench above the Agitator, so that the Lard can be run out of the Settling Tank into the Agitator. The Cooler and Agitator should also be high enough from the floor so the Lard can be run from it into buckets or tubs.
It costs very little to properly equip oneself with the proper apparatus, and if properly rigged up it is a pleasure to make the Lard and requires very little work.
HOW TO PURIFY RENDERED LARD.
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First:—Put 100 lbs. of water into the lard kettle and add to it one-quarter to one-half pound of B. Heller & Co.’s Lard Purifier; then on top of the water put 100 lbs. of the rendered Lard.
Second:—If a steam kettle is used, turn on the steam; and if the kettle is heated by fire, start the fire; the heat should be applied slowly and must be closely watched, so that the Lard does not get too hot and boil over. In no case should more Lard and water be put into the kettle than to fill it one-half full. By thus having the kettle only half full it leaves plenty of room for the Lard to boil and foam and prevents it from boiling over the top of the kettle.
Third:—While the Lard is being heated stay right with it at the kettle to watch it and continually stir it.
Fourth:—When the Lard begins to boil check the fire and let it simmer from 10 to 15 minutes, then put out the fire or turn off the steam and let the Lard settle for about three hours; all the impurities that come to the top skim off carefully.