Grandma's Yeast Rolls

Dissolve 1 tablespoon of sugar into the water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water; let stand 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Once the yeast has foamed, stir the melted lard into the yeast, then stir the yeast mixture into the flour until a sticky dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. You may need to add additional flour to keep the dough from sticking. Once elastic, cover the dough with the mixing bowl, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with lard.

Cut the dough into three equal sections, then cut each section into 8 pieces. Form into balls and place into the prepared baking dish in 6 rows of 4. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the rolls are golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, about 1 hour. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before eating.