In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the lard until the mixture is crumbly and the pieces of lard are pea-sized. Editor’s Tip: Work quickly to keep your ingredients as cold as possible so the lard doesn’t melt into the flour, messing up the possibility of flaky layers. I like to keep all my pie ingredients (yes, even the flour!) in the fridge for a bit until I’m ready to use them to ensure everything stays chilled.

Gradually add the cold water one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough holds together when pressed. Editor’s Tip: Avoid over-mixing the pie crust dough as much as possible. Over-mixing can create a tough pie crust instead of a tender one.

Shape the pie dough into a disk. Wrap the disk tightly in storage wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour or chill overnight.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a ⅛-inch-thick circle. Roll from the center of the dough and move outward to the edges. To help ensure an even shape and prevent the dough from sticking, give the dough a quarter turn after each roll. If you feel your dough is still sticking to the counter or the rolling pin, add more flour. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch or 10-inch pie plate. Editor’s Tip: Use a pastry brush to wipe away any excess flour. It’s one of our best secrets for rolling out pie dough!

Trim the crust to a ½ inch beyond the rim of the plate. Shape the edges with a fluting pattern or another decorative pie crust design. Refer to your pie crust recipe’s directions to either fill or bake the pie crust.