I typically render 2lbs at the very least of fat at a time. Fat pieces which have been cleaned of residual organ meat. Rendering the fat. Properly rendered fat can be safely be kept at room temperature. Stir the fat every half hour or so, keeping the heat low and constant. Hams are expensive; so why not make use of every last bit. Rendering is a process that converts waste animal tissue into stable, usable materials. To render the fat from our duck, we used the dry rendering method of oven roasting. Leaf Fat: This is the fat from around the pig’s kidney’s and, like beef leaf fat, is the “cleanest” fat on the pig. It’s also pretty much impossible to buy, so if you need it for another recipe (such as confit) you have to make it. The process is a little long, though very easy, so it makes since to do it in large batches. I don’t salt my stocks when I pressure cook, and all the fat just rises to the top. You have a few choices in how you break down your fat for rendering. Rendering lard is a lost art – a worthwhile technique forgotten in a fat-phobic, Lean Cuisine-centered culture. Thankfully, I've had a chance to rediscover this wonderful cooking oil, first, with poultry fat from a friend, and more recently, with chicken fat from our first flock of broilers. If possible always mix your flour into rendered chicken, duck, pork, beef fat … A bit of a distinction but gain it is all about utility. Once the fat is rendered and skimmed, the cooking possibilities are endless. Set the temperature on low and let the fat start to melt, stirring it regularly. That’s why we used method number 2, rendering the skin in water. We'd like to be your ranchers. All of those things will … Place your fat into a pan and add enough water to cover the fat. Rendered chicken fat becomes Schmaltz and is used in place of butter for cooking. Why do we like fatty foods so much? Many cooks, seeking out local foods and forgotten traditions, have rediscovered how to render lard in their homes. On the spot, pour a little into a skillet for egg or omelet-making, crisping potatoes, or … 2. If you are lucky enough to be cooking a whole duck, then the easiest way to release the fat is to use a toothpick and prick the skin sparingly on all the fatty parts including the legs and breasts.Do not over-prick as you may spoil the appearance of the finished bird. 1. Late fall or early winter would be the best times. Place the fat in a skillet or pot. rendering is a process that separates fat from raw material by boiling in water. A vast store of fat is found at the neck opening, so make sure to prick here well. You can render chicken fat, as well as fat from turkeys, ducks and other poultry for immediate use, or to freeze for future meals. This is why people say venison fat goes rancid quickly. Avoid boiling the fat or allowing it to burn or stick to the edges. Simply put, this out-of-fashion fat is high in many qualities that I look for in a cooking fat. Rendering suet (also called "tallow") which is beef fat, is the process of heating it to the melting point. In short, the process involves making a broth that should later be cooled down so that the fat will float to the surface and harden. By cooking fat, I mean any fat that I’m going to subject to heat in any way at all – whether it … We render bacon fat and use that in salad dressings and other dishes and duck fat transport a dish to another realm. Once rendered it produces a lard that’s white in color with a milder odor and flavor, making it ideal for use in pie crusts and pastries. A long handled spoon to stir the pot. Use an oven-safe pan or dish large enough to hold the amount of suet you plan to render. – Jennifer S Jul 15 '14 at 19:20 It is do-able, but one of the drawbacks is that the water trapped in the fat doesn't evaporate when you render sous vide, so you have to then separate the fat and water afterwards. That said, fat is the primary carrier of individual flavor in animals, not lean meat. Whole chickens retain a varying amount of fat in the internal body cavity. Add water so that it is about halfway up the sides of the fat. After my dad trimmed all the fat from the hams, shoulders and other meat he would cut the fat up and we would render the fat and make lard in a big iron pot over an open fire. Rendering chicken fat from a whole chicken is an economical way to save money on ingredients, while adding flavor to a wide range of recipes. 0. Muscle meat is all right, just keep meat to a minimum. Chop up the pork fat into cubes no larger than 1 inch and place it in a large pot on the stove. Rendered fat for use in cooking can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for several months. Rendered animal fat is a useful ingredient to keep in your kitchen. I used this batch of cracklings to top a bean and veggie soup --tastes like bacon bits , Yum! Why render the fat? It will take longer to render all of the fat out, which is why I prefer the grinder method. A good question that will be answered if you keep reading... (Editor's Note: This article was originally published on January 26, 2008.) 3. As the fat begins to melt, small chunks of crunchy “cracklin” fat will rise to the top. 4. Is there a reason to make stock and render fat separately? This is done by rendering the fat, and it’s usually done when there are cooler temperatures outside. Rendering the fat from your ham is a way to make use of every last scrap. It has a high smoke point when prepared this way and is excellent for frying, it’s free of transfats and contains no industrial additives. How to Use. You are looking for the bits of meat/gristle (these are the “cracklins”) to rise to the top, leaving clear, liquid fat underneath. Growing up on the farm, rendered poultry fat was prized for cooking and baking, but I didn't realize it had a name other than chicken fat, duck fat, goose fat, etc. Once the fat has completely rendered, strain these chunks out of the fat with a wire spider or slotted spoon. Allow the fat to render for several hours, stirring frequently. Grandma’s Lye Soap was made with rendered fat; this fat would have come from goat, beef, pork or lamb. Dry rendering is a batch or continuous process that dehydrates raw material in order to release fat. Heat the Fat. Just to let you know this is technically not tallow which is rendered from suet, the fat from around the internal organs of the animal. If you do it right, the water evaporates completely just in time for the fat to all have rendered and the cracklings to crisp up. It can also be stored in the freezer indefinitely. Reply. It’s also the healthiest. Frugal is a good description for me when it comes to feeding the woodpeckers and other birds that stop by my suet feeders. I’ve rendered my fair share of chicken schmaltz, tallow and lard over the years. Joe. Some of this is going to depend on how much fat, and the original temperature of said fat when you start the process. If you render leaf fat only, you can make the highest quality lard, light-colored with a mild flavor. When making soap with animal fats; the fats will need to be purified first. Rendering With the Whole Bird . I play it safe and keep mine in the fridge. Heat, stirring occasionally. This can be done to any kind of meat or even to butter to separate the fat from the milk solids, creating what is called clarified butter. How to Render Fat • 1 pound of hog, duck, goose, pheasant or other fat, cut into 2-inch pieces • Water. How To Render Duck Fat. How to render fat into tallow . Semi-Wet Fat Rendering: You only use a little water - maybe an eighth of an inch in the bottom of your pot. Heat source . 11 months ago. When you look for beef fat to render, you’ll want to look for fat from 100% grass fed, grass finished cattle. Plus, the close tie between fat, flavor, fullness, and happiness might be an evolutionary adaptation. Why? It's much easier to avoid scorching the fat when it's heated in water. Rendering can refer to any processing of animal products into more useful materials, or, more narrowly, to the rendering of whole animal fatty tissue into purified fats like lard or tallow.Rendering can be carried out on an industrial, farm, or kitchen scale. Render some in a pan with a little water, and if it smells good it is good. Equipment: To render fat into tallow or lard you will need: 2 Large stock pots with lids. If you want, you can save the fat in the freezer until you have enough to render fat in a big batch. The funcion of the water here is to ease the fat into heat. The process involves addition of water to the raw material and the use of live steam to cook the raw material and accomplish separation of the fat. So before I tell you how I render lard, let me tell you WHY I render lard. Rendering Fat. Turn off the heat and let the rendered fat cool a bit. You can also render the fat, separating it from everything else, and reuse it in other recipes — something that can take hours to do but is worth it for the results. Put the burner on its lowest setting and let the liquid simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, turning the fat pieces every so often. Traceable, Dry-Aged, Angus beef. Fat gives foods some special qualities we like. One the the many benefits of making your own meat stocks is all the wonderful Rendering is basically separating the fat from a substance by extended cooking at a low temperature. Your nose doesn’t lie. Adding a bit of water to the pan ensures the surface temperature can’t rise above 212 degrees, so the fat renders gradually and doesn’t burn. Tallow and lard are enjoying a comeback in the kitchen thanks to increasing awareness of … The water will burn off. The fat will melt and the impurities and bits of meat will fall to the bottom of the pot. Also, the leaf fat from around the internal organs and kidneys is the most desirable fat compared to trim fat. That will give you the highest nutrient content in the finished tallow. Small amount of water. This is beautiful versatile and highly healthy fat that I utilize fully and have no need for much else, nor would I EVER throw this miraculous stuff away. How to Render Lard: Step 1: Break down your fat. Fatback also makes light, mild lard. Wet rendering is the way to go. By the end of rendering the water cooks off.