Make your own lard

Butter is great, but it can get pricey.  Also, when you cook doesn't have a very high smoke point.  So, what is one of the best cooking oils/fats?  LARD.  It's not just something you can just buy in the store any more.  Yes, Morrell makes a lard, but I wouldn't buy it, it's shelf stable and doesn't list the ingredients.  Lard is supposed to be refridgerated anyways. 
Here are the steps to make your own lard:
1.  Go to your local grocery store and ask for pork fat trimmings.  See if they can grind the fat, just like ground beef.  I was able to buy 5 1/2 pounds for $1.59 at the military grocery store (comissary).
2.  If they wouldn't grind the fat, just cut it up in chunks and run small amounts through your food processer (that's what I did).
3.  Cook the pork fat on the lowest heat setting on your stove in a stock pot.
4.  It's best to use cheese cloth, but I didn't have any, so I used a wire mesh strainer to seperate the liquid from the unmeltable fat, which works pretty well. 
5.  Pour it in a canning jar and store it in your fridge.
 Liquid gold! -*check out the pictures below!*-