When making pie dough, I often shred the cold butter instead of mixing chunks into the flour. I shred the butter using the large holes of a box grater. Refrigerated butter works fine, but for best results, freeze the butter first. This works with lard and shortening, as well. Instead of mixing with a pastry blender or food processor, simply toss the shredded fat with the flour before adding ice-cold water. This cuts down on the mixing, which is a good thing: The less the dough is handled, the more tender the pastry. Pie crust mythstakes, pg. 575 in 12,167 Kitchen and Cooking Secrets.
