You do see the conundrum you've placed us in, don't you? We desperately want to make fun of you, but don't know how you'll take it. (We've sworn a solemn vow not to make fun of people who are particularly sensitive, and we're just not sure about you.)
Lard, which is rendered and clarified pork fat, melts around 86°F (30°C). Crisco, which used to be hydrogenated vegetable shortening*, melts between 117°F and 119°F (47°C and 48°C).
*Since it was created in 1911, Crisco has always been a brand name (sort of short for "crystallized cottonseed oil," which is what Crisco was originally), but about ninety-nine percent of the population of the United States** knew it as the generic name for solid vegetable shortening. The Crisco brand now includes a host of products, including corn oil, olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and baking sprays, as well as the vegetable shortening in a can and in sticks.
**You were in the other one percent - among a small subgroup that thought Crisco came from piggies.
I can see how this question would be humorous to someone who doesn't do a lot of antique cast cookware restoration. As for myself, it is a shortcut to calculating the working time I will have on applying shortening to cast aluminum waffle grids before it starts to solidify, thus making it difficult to remove excess oil before heating it back to the smoke-point. Thanks for the info and have a blessed day!
Is there a good substitute for old Crisco that had transfat? Our family recipes developed with old crisco no longer work with new crisco. I am guessing we need a higher melting point?
I knew crisco was made from vegetable oils and did not come from piggies. And if you think you can offend me you best be on your A came. We make suit for the birds and are recipe is made with lard but my wife wants to use some old crisco so it doesn’t go to waste. We didn’t know the melting point. It gets vary hot in the south east.