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cooking essentials: chicken fat (schmaltz)

Andy59 avatar
Recipe by
Andy Anderson !
@Andy59
Wichita, KS

It used to be a very common practice to render the fat from ducks, chickens, turkeys, etc., and keep that yummy fat for other cooking. Two of the areas that I use it, is for making fried potatoes, and for making stovetop popcorn… Yeah, popcorn. When I make chicken stock, I pull the skin off the parts that I am using, but I do not throw it away, I use it to make chicken fat. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

yield serving(s)
prep time 5 Min
cook time 3 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For cooking essentials: chicken fat (schmaltz)

  • PLAN/PURCHASE
  • 1 lb
    chicken skin, or more
  • OPTIONAL ITEMS
  • 1/2 lg
    yellow onion, roughly chopped

How To Make cooking essentials: chicken fat (schmaltz)

  • 1
    PREP/PREPARE
  • 2
    Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
  • 3
    Roughly chop the chicken skin, and add to a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat.
  • 4
    Let it slowly cook, until most of the fat has rendered, and the skin is beginning to brown, about 2 hours.
  • 5
    Raise the heat to medium, and add the onion, if using.
  • 6
    Cook until the onions have softened, and the chicken skin is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
  • 7
    Remove from the heat, and allow to cool, for 10 minutes.
  • 8
    Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, and discard the solids.
  • 9
    Store in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for 6 months, or the freezer for 1 year.
  • 10
    PLATE/PRESENT
  • So yummy
    11
    Use on things like fried potatoes, and other root vegetables, as a substitute for oil in popcorn... Anyplace you need oil is a candidate for using chicken fat. Enjoy.
  • 12
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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