Traditionally, rendering fat was done by slowly cooking down animal fats. This skill is becoming popular again in homestead kitchens. It’s cheap, easy, and gives you a lot of different fats that you can use for cooking at high temperatures and making candles, soap, and skin care products.
One more great thing about using animal fats is that they can be found locally, unlike imported fats like avocado, coconut, or olive oil. It’s also an excellent nose-to-tail eating strategy!.
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Rendering is the process of gently cooking down and clarifying raw animal fat. Raw fat contains impurities and rendering it down causes the impurities to clump together, allowing for easy removal. This results in a clean, usable, shelf-stable fat source. A true nose-to-tail eating strategy!.
This rendered fat source can now be used for high-heat cooking, body balms, soap, candles, etc. Rendering can be done in two ways: dry heat or wet heat. It’s very flexible.
This method includes gently cooking down the animal fat on its own (no added water). It may require close supervision to make sure that it doesn’t burn. But if you use a crockpot, which is the method I suggest, there is almost no chance of burning.
This method includes gently cooking down the animal fat with some water. This will keep it from burning, but you will have to take an extra step to make sure all the water is gone, or else it will go bad.
Turkey fat, also known as turkey grease, is the soft, white fat that can be found underneath the skin and around the body cavity of a turkey. Rendering turkey fat is the process of slowly cooking it to extract all of the delicious, flavorful liquid fat. The rendered fat can then be used for cooking, adding rich flavor to everything from vegetables to gravy.
Rendering turkey fat after the holidays is a great way to make the most of your turkey and not waste any parts. The rendered fat can be stored and used for months, saving you money on buying oils or butter for cooking. Rendered turkey fat has a high smoke point, making it great for frying and sautéing at high heats. It’s also packed with healthy fats and has an amazing turkey flavor that can elevate any dish.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to easily render turkey fat at home
Step 1: Prepare the Turkey Fat
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When your turkey is finished cooking, let it cool slightly. Then locate the deposits of fat around the turkey’s cavity and under the skin.
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Carefully cut the fat deposits off the turkey. Try to avoid getting much meat or skin mixed in with the fat, as it can burn during the rendering process
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Pick off any remaining bits of meat, skin or connective tissue. The fat should be as clean as possible.
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Cut the fat into 1-inch cubes. This increases the surface area and allows it to render more quickly.
Step 2: Add Water to a Pan and Cook the Fat
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Place the cubed turkey fat into a sturdy pan, such as a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Stainless steel or enameled cast iron works best.
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Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan, around 1/2 inch. The water helps prevent the fat from burning.
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Cook the fat over medium heat, letting the water come to a gentle simmer.
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Once simmering, turn the heat down to low. Let cook at a bare simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
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The fat will slowly melt and become clear, separating from any crispy bits.
Step 3: Strain and Store the Rendered Fat
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Once the fat has fully rendered into a clear liquid, remove the pan from heat.
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Carefully pour the hot fat through a fine mesh strainer to remove any crispy solids. Cheesecloth also works well for straining.
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Let the strained fat cool slightly. Then pour into an airtight container like a mason jar.
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Store in the fridge for up to 3 months or in the freezer for up to a year. The fat will turn opaque and solidify when cooled.
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Discard the crispy solids left in the strainer or save them to use for making turkey cracklings.
More Tips for Rendering Turkey Fat
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Watch the temperature carefully. Cook over too high a heat and the fat can burn and develop an off flavor.
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Be patient. Low and slow rendering gives you the highest quality turkey fat. Trying to speed up the process risks burning the fat.
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Render in batches if needed. Don’t overcrowd the pan with fat, which can slow down the rendering.
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Add herbs, spices or citrus for flavor. Try a bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary or strips of lemon zest.
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Make cracklings from the crispy solids. Roast them up to use as a crunchy topping for salads or soups.
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Use the fat for roasted vegetables, sautéed greens, eggs, stir fries, gravy and more. The possibilities are endless!
Rendering down turkey fat may take some time, but it’s easy and well worth the effort. You’ll be left with the most flavorful cooking fat that can add richness and turkey essence to all sorts of dishes. So don’t throw that fat away after the holiday meal – turn it into liquid gold! Follow the steps above for how to properly render turkey fat.
Step 5: Transfer to a storage container
Pour into a storage container and wait until it cools completely before replacing the lid. When the rendered fat cools, it changes color from golden yellow to soft white. This depends on the type of fat. Schmaltz fat tends to be yellow (if pasture-raised), whereas lard and tallow tend to be white or off-white.
The storage container you want to use depends on the type of fat that you are rendering. Most rendered fats (lard, schmalz, bear grease, etc. ) are fairly soft and spreadable, so a mason jar works well. They also make super cute lard containers!.
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However, tallow is hard and needs to be “chipped away” to be used, so I like to use a shallow, glass food storage container. You can use a mason jar, but it can be challenging to get it back out.
Watch Me Render Tallow!
When rendered fat is completely cool, put it in a container that won’t let air in. This will keep it fresh for 4-6 months in the cupboard, 12 months in the fridge, or forever in the freezer. When I make a lot, I like to keep one container at room temperature so it’s easy to get to while the rest wait in the freezer.
Schmaltz. How to make it and when to use it.
FAQ
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