Lard kept at room temperature will keep for about four to six months, depending on conditions. By contrast, lard stored in the refrigerator will have a shelf life of up to a year.

Will old lard make you sick?

Eating rancid fat may not make you sick over the short term, but consuming rancid fat over time can negatively affect your health. Even health promoting "healthy" fats will become "unhealthy" when rancid. We don't want oxidation in our body.

Is leaf lard bad?

Lard Is Back In The Larder, But Hold The Health Claims : The Salt Although some tout lard as a "healthy" animal fat, it's still high in saturated fat, like butter. So eating a lot of it is not really good for you.