Is it absolutely necessary to use lard to obtain an authentic flavor in Mexican cooking?
Yes and no. While olive oil was a favorite of the Spanish, it never really caught on in Mexico, where lard became the fat of choice. Although Mexicans have learned the dangers of too much saturated fat and are using more and more vegetable oils, lard is still a necessary addition for some traditional recipes such as tamales which require lard’s distinctive taste. It should also be noted that, despite the connotations of its name, lard actually contains less saturated fat than butter. Also, rendering your own lard in small quantities is quite simple and produces a far more tasty result than the greasy, off-tasting variety found in most U.S. supermarkets. (Simply cut about ½ cup of pork fat into small pieces and microwave it for a minute at a time in a pyrex measuring glass covered by plastic wrap-being careful not to burn yourself with the steam when you remove the plastic. As soon as the fat has melted, and before it turns brown, pour it into a sterile jar, cool and refrigerate).
