Lard Pie Crust

Single Pie Crust Ingredients:
1¼  cups (5.5 oz.) All Purpose Flour (weigh for accuracy)
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
⅛ tsp. baking powder
6⅔ Tbsp. (3 oz.) lard (Cut into small cubes) (weigh for accuracy)
4  Tbsp. water (ice cold!)(optional: Make 1 of the 4 Tablespoons vinegar, white or apple cider)

Double Pie Crust Ingredients:
2.5 cups (11 oz.) All Purpose Flour (weigh for accuracy)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. baking powder
13⅓ Tbsp. (6 oz.) Very Cold Lard (Cut into small cubes) (weigh for accuracy)
8  Tbsp. water (ice cold!)(optional: Make 1 of the 8 Tablespoons vinegar, white or apple cider)

Each Crust will have enough dough for a 9 or 10 inch pie plate.

Directions for mixing with Pastry Blender Fork or Pastry Cutter:
Mix dry ingredients. Refrigerate or freeze if you have time.  Cut in half of the very cold fat cubes by cutting the fat cubes with fork or cutter to break them into smaller pieces.  Be careful not to "mix" the flour and fat. Don't use your fingers.  If the fork or cutter gets plugged up, use another table fork to scrape it off.   Keep cutting and coating the fat pieces with flour until the pieces are crumb size or small pea size (about ⅛" by ¼" size).  Then add the remainder of the fat, but keep those chunks a little larger about the size of dried pinto beans.(about ¼" by ½" size)  Then add the water, only 1 or 2 Tbsp at a time, stopping to fluff in with the flour each time. You should try to hydrate all the dry flour but keep the pea size lard pieces in tact. Don't stir, just try to fold or "fluff" the water into the flour.   Once all the flour is hydrated and sticks together when pressed with your hand it is done.  Form 1 or 2 equal balls (depending on which ingredient list you followed above) and wrap up into plastic wrap.  Once in plastic wrap shape them into a disc shape and put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or more before attempting to roll out.  You may keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 or 3 days or 3 or 4 months in the freezer before rolling out and putting in your pie plate. 
Once you roll them out and put in your pie plate put them in the freezer for at least ½ hr or better yet put in refrigerator overnight before filling and baking or blind baking. You can wrap them in cellophane and freeze them for 3 or 4 months.  

Directions for mixing with Food Processor:
Place all dry ingredients in mixing bowl.  Pulse spin it 3 or 4 times to mix.  Put Lard cubes in bowl.  Cut them in the flour mix by pulse spinning a second or 2 for 8 to 10 times.  Remove lid to see if they are pea size.  Once pea size, open lid and add your 4 or 8 Tbsp. water by pouring as evenly as possible over all your flour mix in the processor bowl.  Next put lid on and spin pulse 6 or 7 times until water hydrates the dough.  Check by reaching in a grabbing a handful and squeezing to see if it sticks together and does not crumble.  Next Dump out and form into 1 or 2 equal balls and wrap with plastic wrap into disc shapes.  Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or more before attempting to roll out. 

Blind Baking your Pie Crust
- If you are making a Lemon pie or custard pie you will need to bake (blind bake) your crust before adding the filling.
- Make sure your pie crust is completely chilled almost frozen. You should put in the freezer for about 20 minutes to get to this state. You want it just soft enough that you can still poke holes in it with a fork. 
- Heat oven to 350° F.
- Preheat a baking sheet to put your pie plate on.
- Line your Pie Crust with Aluminum Foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans or rice.
- Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the very cold pie crust.
- Place in oven on the baking sheet on a lower rack in oven.  Lower third of your oven.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Take out of oven and take pie weights out.
- Brush the crust with an egg wash ( 1 egg and a teaspoon of water beaten).
- Cover outer crust with tin foil or a pie shield to avoid a burnt outer crust.
- Immediately put back in oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes at 350° F.  or until it looks lightly brown and dried out.
Par Baking your Pie Crust
If your pie recipe calls for par baking simply reduce your baking times above.
For the 1st bake, bake for only 20 minutes
For the 2nd bake, bake for only 5 to 7 minutes.