Rendering fat from chickens

[miss_thenorth]

Last year, I read somewhere on BYC about feeding corn to the meaties for I think around the last week, to put some fat on them, so you could render it.

Well, I got about a week to go before the meaties go to freezer camp.

Is this something I should do. I didn't do it last year, and all my meaties were very lean (aside from being fat, if that makes sense).

So, how do you render the fat from chickens?

 

[Beekissed]

When I can them, it naturally rises to the top. If you just wanted the fat only, I guess you could cook them, chill the broth and skim the fat when it hardens on top.

 

[freemotion]

I bake my chickens whole, strip off the meat, then everything else goes into the stockpot for broth. Then I strain and chill that, and skim off the hardened fat.

Yum! So many uses!

 

[miss_thenorth]

That's what I thought, but is using corn a good way to get them to put more fat on? Like I said, last years bunch were very lean. Not even close to enough to even bother skimming off. Will the corn work, does any one know? And, if I do get enough to scoop off, how long will it keep n the fridge.

thanks!

 

[Farmfresh]

Corn will add yellow fat to your birds. Be careful with the meaties as they can overeat at this stage and simply drop dead. I have gotten my birds to near butcher weight and then fed them about 85 percent corn diet for a couple of weeks before slaughter. That makes them nice and plump. I think the pullets fatten better than the cockerels on the corn. (That just figures - doesn't it! )

I would boil meat, bones and skin to get the most fat off. Chill and separate the fat, then I would freeze it in an ice cube tray, un-mold it after it is frozen and store in a ziplock in the freezer. That should help it keep the longest.

While it is great for cooking remember chicken fat makes a soft slimy soap.

 

[ORChick]

I can't say if this would apply to your home raised birds; I have only done it with bought chicken, both the cheap supermarket sort, and the free-range type. For the cleanest, least "chicken-y" flavored fat I take out any obvious fat pieces, and also the skin (if I don't need it with the dish I'm cooking). I cut all this into small pieces, and cook it slowly, over low heat, to render out the fat - a slow cooker on LO is great for this. Periodically I will pour off the rendered fat, and continue cooking the cracklings. This fat is great for frying potatoes. I've also used it as part of the fat in pastry (with butter) for quiche, and other savory pastries. It is, of course, the fat of choice for Jewish cooking.

For more chicken flavored fat (also good for potatoes, or other frying) I do as others have mentioned, and skim it off the top of home made broth.

 

[PamsPride]

When we took our birds to the Amish lady to be butchered on Monday I noticed she had a gallon bag FULL of chicken fat that she pulled off of the chickens. I asked her what she did with it and she said she rendered it down and used it for making popcorn. She also saved the yolks from inside the chickens (eggs yet to be laid) for making egg noodles.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

That's what I thought, but is using corn a good way to get them to put more fat on? Like I said, last years bunch were very lean. Not even close to enough to even bother skimming off. Will the corn work, does any one know? And, if I do get enough to scoop off, how long will it keep n the fridge.

thanks!

yep this is what we did for our colored rangers. we finished on corn and milk from our goats. it worked really well - but then we ended up skinning most of them and lost a bunch of the fat.
:-(

i think the theory is if you add protein they will have more meat than using corn which will result in fat. i just read an article about home flocks from 1919 and they were all about corn+milk. but they had more dual purpose breeds. however, our rangers are more active then the cornish x's... so this worked great for us. if you have the cornish x's you do need to be careful they dont flop over dead from over eating.

but i took a lot of lovely yellow fat from the birds when we dressed them - and to answer your question about how to render - its easy as pie:

put it all in a heavy pot on low to medium heat and just let it all melt down. i put mine on the stove setting "1" or "2" a couple hours and got a lot. some people say to grind it or cut it up but i didnt need to.

after its melted and cooled, strain thru cheesecloth (or i used a coffee filter which didnt work great but it worked) and put in the fridge.

popcorn!?!? wow i would have never thought.. hey were is my Stir Crazy....

good luck!

 

[Dace]

When we took our birds to the Amish lady to be butchered on Monday I noticed she had a gallon bag FULL of chicken fat that she pulled off of the chickens. I asked her what she did with it and she said she rendered it down and used it for making popcorn. She also saved the yolks from inside the chickens (eggs yet to be laid) for making egg noodles.

Eww...for some reason that last sentence was icky to me! It makes sense, but still icky.

 

[PamsPride]

When we took our birds to the Amish lady to be butchered on Monday I noticed she had a gallon bag FULL of chicken fat that she pulled off of the chickens. I asked her what she did with it and she said she rendered it down and used it for making popcorn. She also saved the yolks from inside the chickens (eggs yet to be laid) for making egg noodles.

Eww...for some reason that last sentence was icky to me! It makes sense, but still icky.

I thought they were some kind of cherry tomatoes sitting in the dish until she picked them up and told us what they were!! I was a little grossed out....then I thought in a SHTF situation that is something good to know at the same time.