Rendering Fats?

[Farmfresh]

Another thing... you may want to clean the fat to remove odors.

When the fat has been rendered down and strained to remove any solids, allow it to cool then add it to water in a deep pot and bring it to a boil. Then remove it from the stove, cool and then chill it. I like to do this in the winter months when my mudroom porch is COLD.

Boiling it allows any impurities to separate from the fat. The fats float to the top and the solids fall to the bottom of the pot. After the fat has a chance to solidify it can be removed from the water and drained/patted dry.

Each time you repeat the procedure the fats will be cleaner and smell less. Sometimes once is enough, but with particularly stinky fats (rancid ?) it may take several purifications.

 

[tortoise]

I didn't realize it would stink. Now my best option is crockpot outdoors.

So same deal? clean, cube the fat, put it in the crockpot (outdoors) and turn on high? Stir... how often? Leave it... all day?

Seems like it would be REALLY messy to pour it out of the crockpot! How do you guys do that?

 

[Farmfresh]

I don't think fresh fat rendering smells much worse than any other cooking smell. If you are trying to render fat from a boar hog or other stinky suspect you might need to move the operation outside.

Rendering fat is a messy job. You keep a close eye on it, and do a lot of clean up afterwards. Fat can burst into flame at too high a heat (just like in cooking) and it can burn you when you try to pour it. Probably one of the most dangerous parts of soap making IMO. Yet VERY satisfying to turn some useless fat into a nice white useful soap.

 

[Bettacreek]

I rendered beef fat and venison fat and suet. Suet is a specific fat, coming from the kidney area, which is actually much cleaner than regular fat.
I personally don't think it stunk, it just smelled like I was cooking something beefy or venisony. I found that if you put the fat straight into a pan instead of adding water, it goes so much faster and easier. Then boil it with water to clean it up. This was a lot easier than cleaning up bacon grease to use for soap. My bacon soap still smelled like bacon after numerous cleanings, lol.

 

[Sunny]

Watching this for great tips. Ive been wondering this same thing..

 

[ORChick]

I didn't realize it would stink. Now my best option is crockpot outdoors.

So same deal? clean, cube the fat, put it in the crockpot (outdoors) and turn on high? Stir... how often? Leave it... all day?

Seems like it would be REALLY messy to pour it out of the crockpot! How do you guys do that?

If you have a grinder that is really the easiest way to go; cutting up several pounds of fat into small pieces can get tiresome quickly. Chill it thoroughly, and cut it in strips that fit your grinder. I know, it sounds like more work, but truly it isn't. Put it in your crockpot on LO - you want to melt it, not cook it. Use a ladle, and pour it through a sieve into some sort of container. I just did 5# of pork fat a few weeks ago; the crockpot makes it so easy. I don't remember how long it took, but I would say maybe 2 or 3 hours.

 

[me&thegals]

My husband just did this last night. He dumped the hunks of fat in a roaster, stuck it on the stove on low-medium and melted, strained, strained, strained. We will probably do this 2-3 more times (per someone experienced on a soaping forum) and then use for making soap

 

[tortoise]

I think I cooked some of it? There is liquid fat in there and then sorta cubish lumps in the center (floating) that are firm. I should scoop those out? And then let the rest simmer until bits settle to the bottom?

 

[urban dreamer]

Isn't this the same process for lard?

 

[miss_thenorth]

yes, lard for pigs, tallow for deer, sheep, cattle etc. I made tallow from my sheep.

An FWIW, it stunk, but when I was done, it was gone and didn't linger. Just make sure you hve the fan on in the kitchen.

Question for those expereinced. If you clean it by boiling it, is it just good for soapmaking, or would it be just a good for consumption also, if youdid this. Reason for asking, The smell of the tallow is strong enough that i wouldn't want to taint the taste of the food i might be cooking in it.