1 Cup Lard in Grams
1 cup of lard weighs 227 g (scooped, King Arthur Baking). Rendered pork fat, prized for flaky pastry. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the King Arthur Baking value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Lard is rendered pork fat, and it is the traditional fat for the flakiest pastry, the tenderest biscuits and the richest tamales. A cup weighs 227 g, the same as butter, and like butter it is a solid fat that can be cut into flour to make layers. Its great advantage is its crystal structure: lard forms large, distinct fat crystals that stay separate in dough and create a shattering flakiness that butter cannot quite match. Its flavour is neutral when it is properly rendered, so it does not make pastry taste of pork, though leaf lard from around the kidneys is the mildest and the most prized for baking.
Why weighing lard beats measuring it in cups
Fats are where cup measurements get genuinely confusing, because the same fat can be solid, soft or liquid depending on temperature, and its weight per cup changes with its state. A cup of butter weighs 227 g, a cup of vegetable shortening only 184 g, and a cup of olive oil 216 g, so swapping fats cup-for-cup is never a straight exchange. Fat carries flavour, creates tenderness, traps air in creamed batters and makes pastry flaky, and each of those jobs depends on how much fat is actually in the bowl. Too little fat and a cake is dry; too much and it is greasy and heavy. Weighing fat removes the guesswork of softened butter, melted butter and oil poured from a bottle, and it is the only reliable way to substitute one fat for another.
Lard cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 56.8 g | 4 |
| 1/3 cup | 75.7 g | 5.3 |
| 1/2 cup | 113.5 g | 8 |
| 2/3 cup | 151.3 g | 10.7 |
| 3/4 cup | 170.2 g | 12 |
| 1 cup | 227 g | 16 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 340.5 g | 24 |
| 2 cups | 454 g | 32 |
| 3 cups | 681 g | 48 |
| 4 cups | 908 g | 64 |
One tablespoon of lard weighs about 14.2 g, and a cup is 16 tablespoons, so the tablespoon column is simply the cup weight divided by 16. For small amounts, a scale that reads to the gram is far more reliable than a spoon, because a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one. All the values in this table are approximate, and they assume the ingredient is measured scooped, exactly as the source measured it.
How the weight was measured
scooped means filling the cup with a spoon rather than plunging the cup into the bag or jar, then sweeping a straight knife across the top to level it off. Never scoop, and never tap the cup down, because both pack the ingredient and add weight. The difference between a spooned cup and a scooped cup can be 15 to 25 percent, which is enough to change a bake from tender to tough, so the method matters as much as the number. The source for the figure on this page is King Arthur Baking, and the confidence in the value is high. King Arthur Baking publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows that chart rather than any single cookbook. Where the chart gives a range or a note, we say so plainly instead of hiding the uncertainty. All the figures here are approximate conversions: natural ingredients vary by brand, variety, moisture and how finely they are chopped or ground, so when a recipe really matters, verify the weight with a kitchen scale.
Worked examples
A pie crust that shatters
A pie crust that calls for 1 cup of lard needs 227 g, cut into flour with a little salt until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Lard makes a crust that is crisp and flaky in a way that butter alone cannot, because its large fat crystals create distinct layers that puff apart in the oven. Keep the lard cold, work quickly, and add ice water a spoonful at a time. Weigh 227 g rather than scooping, because lard is soft and a scooped cup leaves air pockets.
Tamales for a celebration
A batch of tamales that uses 2 cups of lard needs 454 g, beaten with masa harina and broth until the dough is light and fluffy. The lard is what makes the masa tender and rich, and it is beaten for a long time to incorporate air, which is the test of a good tamale dough: a spoonful should float in a glass of water. Weigh 454 g and beat it well, because under-beaten lard leaves the tamales dense and heavy.
Biscuits with a tender crumb
A batch of biscuits that calls for 1/2 cup of lard needs 113.5 g, cut into flour and mixed with buttermilk. Lard biscuits are taller and more tender than butter biscuits, with a crumb that splits easily and soaks up gravy or jam. Handle the dough as little as possible once the liquid is in, because overworking it develops gluten and makes the biscuits tough, whatever fat you use.
When this conversion matters most
This conversion matters most in pastry and cakes, where fat is doing structural work. In pie crust and puff pastry, cold fat in the right amount creates the layers that make pastry flaky; too much and the crust is greasy, too little and it is tough. In creamed cakes, the weight of butter determines how much air can be beaten in, and therefore how light the cake is. It matters less in frying or roasting, where the fat is a cooking medium and a little more or less makes no real difference. It matters again when you substitute fats: butter, margarine, shortening and lard all weigh differently per cup, so convert by weight first and the substitution will behave.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is measuring melted butter in a cup and using it where the recipe expects softened butter. A cup of melted butter and a cup of softened butter weigh the same, but melted butter behaves completely differently in a batter: it cannot trap air, so cakes come out dense. The second mistake is scooping shortening or lard with air pockets left in the cup, which can under-measure by 10 percent or more; press it in firmly and level it. The third is measuring oil in a dry cup instead of a liquid jug, which makes it hard to read the level accurately. And the fourth is swapping fats cup-for-cup without adjusting for weight: a cup of shortening is 43 g lighter than a cup of butter, and that missing fat changes the texture of pastry and frosting.
What to do if you do not have a scale
If you do not have a scale, butter is the easiest fat to measure without one, because a standard US stick is 113 g, which is half a cup or 8 tablespoons, and the wrapper is marked in tablespoons. For other solid fats, pack them firmly into a dry cup with the back of a spoon, pressing out air pockets, then level the top. For oils, use a liquid measuring jug at eye level and read the bottom of the meniscus. For melted fats, let them cool slightly before measuring so the volume has settled, and remember that a cup of melted fat is the same weight as a cup of solid fat, even though it behaves differently in the recipe.
Storing lard
Refrigerate up to 6 months; freeze longer. Keeping lard properly stored matters for the conversion as well as for the flavour: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture from the air weighs more per cup than a dry one, and one that has dried out weighs less. Store it in an airtight container, away from heat and light, and measure it in the state the recipe expects, not straight from a damp or stale bag.
Frequently asked questions
Does lard make pastry taste of pork?
Properly rendered lard has a neutral flavour and does not taste of pork in a finished bake. Leaf lard, which comes from around the kidneys, is the mildest and is the traditional choice for pastry, while back fat lard has a slightly stronger flavour and is better for frying and savoury cooking. If your lard smells strongly of pork, it was not rendered cleanly, and it will flavour the pastry, so buy it from a butcher or a brand you trust.
Is lard the same as shortening?
They are similar in function but different in origin. Lard is rendered animal fat, while shortening is hydrogenated vegetable oil. A cup of lard weighs 227 g, while a cup of shortening weighs only 184 g, so they cannot be swapped by volume. Lard makes a flakier pastry and has a slightly richer flavour, while shortening is flavourless and keeps longer at room temperature. Either will make a good pie crust, but weigh them, do not swap them cup for cup.
Can I use cups instead of a scale for lard?
Yes, but a scale is more accurate. If you measure lard scooped, exactly as the figure on this page was measured, a cup will be close to 227 g, within a few grams. The problem is that most people scoop rather than spoon, which can add 15 to 25 percent to the weight, and that error is enough to change a bake. For everyday cooking, cups are fine. For baking, where the ratio of ingredients decides the result, weigh it and check the number on the scale.
How many tablespoons are in a cup of lard?
There are 16 tablespoons in a US cup, so a cup of lard is 16 tablespoons, and one tablespoon weighs about 14.2 g. A teaspoon weighs about 4.7 g. Tablespoons are useful when a recipe calls for a small amount, but they carry the same packing problem as cups: a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one, so level every spoon with the back of a knife, and use a scale for small amounts when accuracy matters.
Does the weight change if I pack or sift lard?
Scooping matters for lard because it is a solid fat measured scooped into the cup. Press it in firmly with the back of a spoon so there are no air pockets, then level the top. A cup with air pockets can under-measure by 10 percent or more, which is enough to change the texture of pastry or frosting. If the fat is melted, the weight per cup is the same, but it will behave differently in the recipe, so use the state the recipe calls for.