the butcher, the baker

    Lard is the goods, and duck fat isn't too shabby either. A super-useful thing to have in the kitchen, rendered animal fats can serve as a dough shortening just as well as it serves as a cooking fat. The process follows.

rendered duck fat

1. Chunk the fatback(for lard) or skin(for duck or goose fat) as shown and place into a pan with the merest 1/2C water. Duck skin can be found on ducks, and fatback can be found in good butchers or ethnic markets. It is the thick layer of fat that covers the pig's back muscles.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. This whole process will be a couple of hours at low heat on the stove. Remember to come back every fifteen minutes to give it a stir to keep the chunks on the bottom from burning.
   
   
   
   
3. Once the fat renders entirely and no more air or water bubbles up to break the surface, it is finished. Now let it cool off!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Strain and store in the fridge or freezer.
   
   
   

   cooled lard!

What to do with your rendered fat?
    The lard or duck fat can replace shortening in baking something like biscuits or cookies, though you should consider whether the duck in particular will overpower what you're going for in the baking. If that doesn't work out, use it to roast some potatoes or other vegetables. You could also salt some duck legs and then poach them in the fat... this would be called a confit, and is a topic all its own.