100 grams of lard is about 7 tablespoons. One tablespoon of lard weighs about 14.2 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.7 g. It is the oldest pastry fat there is, and the one that still makes the flakiest crust, because it melts at a higher temperature than butter and has no water in it.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured scooped. Rendered pork fat, prized for flaky pastry. Pastry, biscuits, tamales and frying. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured scooped. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 227 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Rendered pork fat, prized for flaky pastry. Pastry, biscuits, tamales and frying.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of lard |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.7 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 14.2 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 28.4 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 42.6 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 56.8 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 70.9 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 85.1 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 113.5 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 141.9 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 170.2 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 227 g |
| 100 g | 7 tablespoons |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of lard is about 7 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A pie crust for a pork pie
A pie crust for a pork pie uses 8 tablespoons of lard, about 113.5 g, rubbed into the flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Lard makes a crust that is shatteringly crisp, because it has no water and melts at a higher temperature than butter, so it stays in pieces and leaves layers. Keep the lard cold and handle the dough lightly, because warm lard melts into the flour and the crust turns tough.
A batch of Southern biscuits
Southern biscuits use 6 tablespoons of lard, about 85.1 g, cut into self-raising flour with buttermilk. The lard gives the biscuits their tender, flaky crumb and their rich flavour, which is why biscuits made with lard taste better than biscuits made with shortening. Cut the lard in with a knife and keep the dough cool, because warm dough makes flat, hard biscuits.
Frying a pan of potato cakes
Frying potato cakes takes 4 tablespoons of lard, about 56.8 g, melted in a heavy pan until it shimmers. Lard fries beautifully because it has no water to spit, and it gives the potato cakes a crisp, golden crust with a savoury flavour that oil cannot match. Fry the cakes in batches so the pan stays hot, because a crowded pan cools the fat and the cakes turn soggy.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Lard matters because it is the best fat for flaky pastry, and it has been for centuries. It is rendered pork fat, with no water and a higher melting point than butter, so it stays in solid pieces in the dough for longer in the oven, and those pieces leave the layers that make a crust crisp and flaky. At 227 g per cup, a tablespoon weighs about 14.2 g, so 100 g is about 7 tablespoons, the same as butter. Lard also has a savoury flavour that suits pork pies, biscuits and tamales, and it fries cleanly because it has no water to spit. The modern objection to lard is about saturated fat, but by weight it is comparable to butter, and a little of it in pastry goes a long way.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of lard, count out about 7 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 3.5 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 100 g means using 50 g, and doubling it means 200 g, or about 14.1 tablespoons. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. For large amounts, switch to a cup measure or a scale: counting out more than 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
Storage. Refrigerate up to 6 months; freeze longer.
- Use lard for pastry, biscuits and frying, where its flake and flavour shine.
- Buy leaf lard or well-rendered lard; poor lard tastes strongly of pork.
- Refrigerate lard and use within 6 months; freeze it for longer keeping.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of lard?
100 grams of lard is about 7 tablespoons, scooped, using the King Arthur Baking value of 227 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 14.2 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of lard?
One tablespoon of lard weighs about 14.2 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.7 g. Lard weighs the same per cup as butter, 227 g, so the two fats swap by weight without any adjustment.
Why is lard good for pastry?
Lard has no water and melts at a higher temperature than butter, so it stays in solid pieces in the dough for longer in the oven. Those pieces melt and leave layers, which is what makes a crust flaky and crisp. Butter gives flavour but melts sooner, so many bakers use half lard and half butter.
Does lard taste of pork?
Good leaf lard, rendered from the fat around the kidneys, has almost no flavour at all. Back fat lard tastes more strongly of pork and suits savoury pastry and frying. Buy leaf lard for sweet pastry, and ask a butcher if you are unsure which kind you are buying.
How should I store lard?
Refrigerate it in a sealed container and use it within 6 months; freeze it for longer keeping. Lard goes rancid at room temperature, and rancid lard smells sharp and stale. If it smells off, throw it away.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is using lard in a sweet cake where its savoury flavour does not belong: lard suits pastry, biscuits and frying, not vanilla sponge. The second mistake is using unrendered or poorly rendered lard, which tastes strongly of pork and spoils quickly; buy leaf lard or good rendered lard from a butcher. The third mistake is handling pastry dough too much once the lard is in, because warm hands melt the fat and the crust turns tough. Finally, do not store lard at room temperature for weeks, because it goes rancid; refrigerate it and use it within 6 months.