What is a good alternative to "Crisco" in baking recipies?

[paschallraschalls]

i want to make some Bisquick-like mix but they all call for crisco.  Is there a more healthy option that will bake up ok?  Thanks in advance!

ETA: Can I use Coconut Oil (the kind sold in the baking isle in the grocery store?)

Edited by paschallraschalls - 1/2/11 at 7:28pm

[kjbrown92]

We use Spectrum Palm Shortening (because of allergies) but I don't think I'd ever go back to Crisco even if I could. You could also use butter in some of the recipes. Or lard if you can get the real stuff (not the preservative filled stuff in the regular grocery stores).

[Arduinna]

lard

[sunnysandiegan]

We use palm shortening in place of "Crisco" in our baking.

Our climate is warm most of the year, so coconut oil wouldn't work well for that particular purpose. We use coconut oil in place of butter and oil in many things. If your climate is cool (or your house is cool enough to keep it solid), then it might work well for you. I'd make a small batch and see how it works.

[velochic]

Leaf lard is the pure lard that has been rendered without additives.  I'd use that.

[Llyra]

Minimally processed lard can be hard to come by, in a lot of places, and it's often exorbitantly expensive. The other suggestions are good, though. I think coconut oil is a nice substitute, but it will taste like coconut so you have to decide if you want that. Would butter work? You might also try palm oil shortening, which is definitely a refined product, but it's not hydrogenated. It's Spectrum that makes that.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by Llyra 

Minimally processed lard can be hard to come by, in a lot of places, and it's often exorbitantly expensive.

Hmmm... I get mine from the Amish these days, and it's cheaper than butter, but only a little more expensive than the processed lard.  I've rendered it myself in the past (it's not difficult at all) and that is also inexpensive.  Where I live we have a lot of butchers and meat processors (deer hunting country) that are butchering hog all year around, so it's easy to get leaf lard at a small cost.  I do use the cheaper, processed lard to make soap, and wouldn't want to eat anything made with that, for sure.  It has a lot of trans fats, whereas pure lard doesn't.

I'm allergic to coconut, so that's never been an option for us at all, and I know nothing about it.

[Biscuits & Gravy]

I use Spectrum for my baking.

[Llyra]

Originally Posted by velochic 

Originally Posted by Llyra 

Minimally processed lard can be hard to come by, in a lot of places, and it's often exorbitantly expensive.

Hmmm... I get mine from the Amish these days, and it's cheaper than butter, but only a little more expensive than the processed lard.  I've rendered it myself in the past (it's not difficult at all) and that is also inexpensive.  Where I live we have a lot of butchers and meat processors (deer hunting country) that are butchering hog all year around, so it's easy to get leaf lard at a small cost.  I do use the cheaper, processed lard to make soap, and wouldn't want to eat anything made with that, for sure.  It has a lot of trans fats, whereas pure lard doesn't.

I'm allergic to coconut, so that's never been an option for us at all, and I know nothing about it.

In some places, it is easy and inexpensive to get lard. But not everybody has Amish where they live, or hunters or butchers even. I can't get lard to save my life, where I am, unless I pay $10 a pound for fatback and render it myself, or if I want to drive sixty miles into the next state. I can get it through the mail, and I do sometimes, but it's not practical for everyday.

[Italiamom]

I always replace shortening with butter :)

[blumooned]

I also use Spectrum shortening.  Earth Balance shortening sticks or buttery sticks would work well, too.

[weliveintheforest]

I use butter or coconut oil, or a combination.  I sometimes use animal fat if I have it.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by Llyra 

Originally Posted by velochic 

Hmmm... I get mine from the Amish these days, and it's cheaper than butter, but only a little more expensive than the processed lard.  I've rendered it myself in the past (it's not difficult at all) and that is also inexpensive.  Where I live we have a lot of butchers and meat processors (deer hunting country) that are butchering hog all year around, so it's easy to get leaf lard at a small cost.  I do use the cheaper, processed lard to make soap, and wouldn't want to eat anything made with that, for sure.  It has a lot of trans fats, whereas pure lard doesn't.

I'm allergic to coconut, so that's never been an option for us at all, and I know nothing about it.

In some places, it is easy and inexpensive to get lard. But not everybody has Amish where they live, or hunters or butchers even. I can't get lard to save my life, where I am, unless I pay $10 a pound for fatback and render it myself, or if I want to drive sixty miles into the next state. I can get it through the mail, and I do sometimes, but it's not practical for everyday.

I guess I have yet another reason to love where I live.

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by Llyra 

In some places, it is easy and inexpensive to get lard. But not everybody has Amish where they live, or hunters or butchers even. I can't get lard to save my life, where I am, unless I pay $10 a pound for fatback and render it myself, or if I want to drive sixty miles into the next state. I can get it through the mail, and I do sometimes, but it's not practical for everyday.

Oh my goodness. 

OP--it sounds like lard availability varies a lot.  I can get good pig fat for $1.50/lb and it really is easy to render, I just did a batch and I store it in the frig or freezer, it'll last ages.  I wouldn't be so generous using it, though, if it started as $10/lb (unrendered).

[swede]

Originally Posted by Italiamom 

I always replace shortening with butter :)

that's what I do, too.

[askew]

I use butter or the spectrum stuff. 

[gardenofsimple]

I can get leaf fat from the woman I buy my meat from for like 80 cents a lb. I render my own lard and use that in place of shortening. If I couldn't do that I'd probably go with organic shortening

[treemom2]

I always replace shortening with either coconut oil or butter.

[Shantimama]

I always just use butter. If you are making a mix that you want to be able to store like you would a box of Bisquick or something I would just keep it in the fridge so the butter stays fresh.

[KoalaMommy]

I can't have butter, so I use coconut oil.  Yes, you can replace shortening with coconut oil with good results, I do it all the time.  And I replace butter with coconut oil.