Posted on 12/12/2010 8:45:11 AM PST by Red_Devil 232
Yes, they are superior bastards.
Well, maybe not superior.
Oh, yeah. With shredded monterey jack (store bought) sprinkled on top.
I'm stuffed.
Just in case you haven't yet read the replies on this thread, there are several ideas about using bacon grease.
Yup. Use it all the time. Makes good homemade tortillas too.
It’s not kosher, but from a healthy pig fed organic feed, it would be a great and healthy fat. I am living the paleo life, and have read all the info about lard. It is not kosher so I can’t eat it, but for the rest of you it truly is a tasty, healthy fat. NOT from supermarket pork - get organic only.
And your typical democrats STILL smell bad.
You may remember that for years I've been touting the yumminess of pie crusts made with lard.
Lard is also the secret to frying the very best french fries.
I keep a one or two 3 lb. tubs of lard at all times. I didn't realize that it froze well, though. I'll have to put some away for possible tougher times.
That “varnish” on the cast iron is a good thing! Here is a site that has everything that you want to know about seasoning cast iron. Flaxseed oil is the best, BTW. Grapeseed and soy are also good. Interestingly, coconut oil is the WORST. You should read all the comments, there are LOTS!
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
Never knew seasoning cast iron could be so science based! Never even heard of the “Iodine Index.” Google THAT! :)
We used to butcher two or three hogs each year. Everything was done in one day. We usually had one or two neighbors helping and we helped them when they butchered. The ribs never made it to the freezer. As soon as they were cut out, I'd season them and on the pit they went.
The sausage making lasted well into the late evening. I remember making head sausage that I'd love to get my hands on now. The last thing would be rendering the lard. We had several large clay pots that we used to store it in for later use.
I believe tallow comes from beef.
It’s the only way this southern belle fries chicken. I also use it to fry green tomatos. Haven’t used lard in many years, but I did see it at the grocery. Does anyone use the grocery kind? I would be interested to know.
My wife does, specially for baking. We do a hog every year and the wife of the guy who butchers it for us (friends from church), has a summer kitchen where she renders it (he also makes great beer there too). In addition to that, my wife uses freshly ground soft wheat flour for pastry and pie-dough. I’ve never had a flakier crust.
Lard comes from pork, and is softer at room temperature. Tallow comes from beef fat, preferably suet, the thick fat that cushions the animal’s kidneys. It is hard at room temps. It is a premium fat and is very useful. Once it is rendered into tallow, it will keep almost indefinitely.
I cook exclusive with ghee, and use butter for baking.
I never ingest cooked oils, except when I succumb to weakness and buy potato chips (about twice a year).
I feel much better without eating cooked oils been quite a number of years now, and even then, it was a rare occasion. About 30 years ago I read how oils, when heated, polymerize, causing that “plasticity”/varnish effect. NOT good for the human body.
Some years of cleaning houses and peoples’ stoves who cooked with oil also convinced me that something wasn’t right with oils heated to high temperatures. I had to scrape that stuff off with sharp knives - it would peel off in strips of plastic-like stuff!
Never happens with milk fat, no matter even if I deep fry in it (about twice a year!), what to speak of sautee.
Maybe not practical for the typical supermarket shopping maven who is feeding their family chemicals, but for those of us who swear by home grown, natural foods, it is just part of the overall lifestyle.
Green beans cooked with bacon...grease included.
You cut the chicken fat into manageable pieces and cover with cold water (enough to completely cover the fat). While it heats, cut the skin (most of it has fat attached) into 1” pieces. When the fat/water mixture is boiling (it looks like fatty soup), add the skin and turn down the heat. In about 30 minutes, the water will boil off and the skin will start to fry in the fat. Watch carefully. Stir constantly. It will stick, often and you need to keep it moving. You want to take the pieces of crackling out as soon as they are golden. Fried food always looks lighter when it is still in the fat. Drain the crackings and salt well. When the schmaltz (fat) has cooled, pour it carefully into a jar and place in the refrigerator. It keeps for a long time. An old-fashioned snack was to fry cooked chickpeas in schmaltz, drain and salt heavily. I cannot recall the Yiddish term for these, but we called them Jewish popcorn. They are heavy, so beware! The old folks would smear some schmaltz onto a piece of rye or pumpernickel bread and add a sliced white radish for a sandwich.
I use a bit of schmaltz for flavor with sauteed onions, use it to fry chicken livers, add a tsp to chopped liver.
The Greibens are crumbled and added to chopped liver or potato kugel or anything where you want some chicken flavor. Everyone always sneaks a few off the draining paper. They are best really hot and crunchy.
This will also add an intense chicken smell to the kitchen. I simply open a window for a bit, afterward.
I cook with mine. I keep a pint bottle on my stove, and put the bottle near the pilot light so it is always liquid. I take coconut oil caps every day, and use it on my skin, as well. The medium-chain fatty acids are so good for us. If you don't have it already, get a copy of Mary Enig's Know Your Fats" to get a real handle on the good stuff. She is a lipid biochemist (I think that's what it is) and a nutritionist, and specializes in dietary fats.
My mother grew up eating homemade bread with lard smeared on it for lunch at school everyday. She said it tasted a bit like bacon.
I recently heard on our local radio trading post - someone called in and had extra pork fat for free if someone wanted to make lard. I love small towns!
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