How to Render Animal Fat by Rev. Nicole Lasher

Rendering fat is as easy as frying bacon. The difference is that it's done either by boiling or low heat, so as to prevent burning.

The Boiling Method

The boiling method is best for subcutaneous (under the skin) fats of larger animals such as cows, sheep, and pigs. It's also good for when you have a large amount that you want to render all at once to freeze. It is more efficient at extracting the fat without burning it at all.

Simply chop the fat into relatively small (approximately 2 square cm.) pieces, and put it in a slow cooker. Turn it on low heat and leave it uncovered. When it is fully melted, there will just be the fibrous solids and/or skin floating in a pool of grease. Strain the grease through a clean metal strainer, and then through a cheesecloth.

You can also melt the fat on the stove top. If you do, use a large pot, and add just enough water to cover the fat. Bring it all to a boil, and then turn the heat down to low. It may take a few hours to a full day, depending on the weather, but by the time it's done, the water will have evaporated.

To store it, you can keep it in the refrigerator, or freeze it in ice trays. Just make sure to label it so you don't get it confused with your soup stock.

The Frying Method

If you're like me, and don't eat fried food very often, you may not want to render much at a time. I personally prefer to buy fat or poultry skin, chop it up into pieces, and put it into single recipe servings in the freezer. I use the cheap plastic bags to keep them separate. If you don't like to use plastic bags, you can use wax paper or parchment.

When you need some fat for a recipe, you take one of the bags out of the freezer, and let it thaw for about 15 minutes to half an hour. You need it to be just soft enough to break the pieces apart.

Put them in a pan, and turn the heat up to medium until you hear it starting to sizzle. Then turn the heat down to low. Eventually, you will have some very nicely browned cracklings sizzling gently in the grease. At that point, take out the solid bits, and the grease is ready to use.

Making Schmaltz

Schmaltz is a German and Yiddish word that basically means (rendered) fat. Outside of Germany it is usually the term used for chicken fat that has been rendered with onions for flavoring. It's an old standard of Jewish cooking. The cracklings and onions that are left are called "gribenes", and are often eaten with bread or in ptitim, a popular baked pasta from Israel. My favorite way to have them is on a big salad. They are better than bacon bits.

In kosher specialty stores, you can sometimes find schmaltz and gribenes ready made, but there's no taste like home.

To make schmaltz, cut the chicken, turkey, or goose skin as well as you can, into small pieces. I use very sharp kitchen scissors for this. Chop some onions and have them ready. If you like, you can also use other herbs, but I'd keep it simple. You can make a hot chile schmaltz though.

Begin rendering the fat from the chicken skins, and when it is sizzling very well, add the onions. The reason I don't add the onions at the beginning is because I like the chicken skin to give up its water before I add more to it with the onions.

When the chicken skin and the onions are browned, just strain off the grease through a cheese cloth. The grease will usually keep on the counter in cool weather for a week, but I prefer to refrigerate it.

I hope these tips bring more joy to your cooking. It will certainly make you healthier to cook natural.

Learn more about this and other soul food techniques and recipes at SoulFood.rr.nu

About the Author

Rev. Nicole Lasher is a cooking enthusiast and artistic caterer who promotes a healthier lifestyle through natural, nourishing foods. Visit her cooking site Free Recipe Club for more tasty recipes.

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