Chew the Fat, or Render It

While working on an instagram post about healthy bone broth additives, I made sure to encourage everyone to save the fat that forms at the top of the broth pot. As soon as I posted it, I knew I needed to elaborate on ways to use this fat, else my viewers see no need to listen or if they did take the initiative to painstakingly scrape each waxy morsel up, it would likely languish in the fridge with no purpose to serve. Thus, Fat Friday was born. 

For the next few weeks, I will be sharing ideas for using rendered fat starting, with this blog tutorial on, you guessed it, rending beef fat (tallow). The basic skill is transferable to chicken (schmaltz) and pork (lard) as well. I’ll also discuss the various ways you can come about getting rendered fat, as it can be an intentional pursuit, or a byproduct of other food making processes. So let’s scoop into the fat of it. 

One man’s scraps are another man’s dinner.

Rendering

In the purest sense of rendered fat, you would cut out and save the fatty bits (and in the case of poultry, also the skins) of any raw meat you’re processing, or if you have a good butcher nearby, you may ask to purchase his fat scraps. (Maybe he’ll be generous and give them away, you never know.) Usually, tallow is made from the fat around organs (suet) and Lard from the fat back, but fat is fat in my book, so lets not split hairs.

In the simplest terms, you take your fat, chop it small, throw it in a pot, stir frequently so non fat bits don’t burn or stick, cook it down till any non fat bits are browned and crispy and a pool of liquidy fat has released at the bottom of your pot. Timing is hard to say as quantity of fat, type of fat, and size of fat bits will play a role. I’d encourage you to just go for it and watch the process. I believe this is the best way to learn as you’ll see, hear, and smell the fat through each stage and have a transferable skill that doesn’t rely on specific measurements, but If you have a need for specifics, the internet is awash with fat rendering recipes.

Side note, rendering from raw fat makes the purest product. It’s the kind you’ll probably want to use for anything where scent may be of concern. However,  I have saved and cut out the fat from cooked leftovers and rendered that down or as we’ll discuss next, used drippings. Now the flavorings you used while cooking may sneak in, but if you’re using that rendered fat for more cooking purposes, or if it doesn’t have a strong aroma post cooking, I mean lets be real here, animal fat has a smell anyways so, who cares!!! 

Now for secondary ways to get yourself some fat byproduct. 

Roasted Meats & Bones

If you’ve ever roasted a chicken, you’ve probably used the drippings to make gravy. Part of that process usually includes spooning off the fat or pouring the drippings into a fat separator. That fat is liquid gold! You’ll have a similar experience with roasted beef, lamb, goose, duck, pork, etc. and also when frying up bacon. All of these fat drippings are useable. Save them. These are your first gleanings of fat.

If you choose to separate the bones from your meat, these too can be roasted to render fat. Once your bones have finished in the oven there will likely be a thin layer of liquid at the bottom of your roasting pan. Save it. 

With any fat rendered from roasting, if you plan to make stock or broth with leftovers, you can either pour it through a cheesecloth and into a jar right away or pour it straight into a jar and store in the fridge til you’ve also collected the fat that comes from the stock or broth later. That way you can reheat both fat gleanings together and clean at once, wasting less cheesecloth. I suppose you could boil and clean the cheese cloth for reuse, but I am just not that person. 

Stocks & Broths

So, you’ve roasted your meat and enjoyed a succulent feast and you’re left with gnawed over bones and scraps. Time for stocks and broths! You can throw these scraps straight into a pot and get to it or if you’ve processed your meat and removed the bones without cooking them, you can also toss them straight into the pot, but I recommend roasting as explained above.

After you’ve simmered your broth for what can end up being ages, you’ll want to place the pot in the fridge to allow the fat to come to the surface. This is your second rendering. Scrape this fat seal off the top and add it to your roasted fat, if you have it.

Cleaning 

Now it’s time to clean you fat. Place all your fat into a sauce pan and melt over medium heat. Strain the melted fat through a cheesecloth at least once, maybe twice. Sometimes there will still be a layer of congealed broth which, once the fat hardens, you can cut away. I store my fat in the fridge, though I know others keep it at room temperature. It lasts a very long time either way but is less likely to go rancid in the fridge.

I hope you’re excited by the prospect of making use of what others might consider a waste product, ones many junk…Personally, whenever I discover something I would throw away has value, I go giddy with glee. It’s like finding money in your pocket your forgot you had.

Fat from Prime Rib Christmas Dinner

Come visit me again next Fat Friday for our first project using our rendered fat! It’s gonna be a fun one!

May your broths be jiggly and your fat rich.