Help!

[Sweaty Paul]

Might also use as a layer when searing steaks off in a CI after sous vide cooking too. Sky is the limit.

[Sweaty Paul]

My plan is for using to make French fries.

[Old Glory]

You can't learn without asking stupid questions so what do you use it for? Cooking grease instead of oil like bacon fat?

[JCGrill]

+1 slow cooker

[Huskee]

I slow simmer in the skillet. Takes about 30-45 min on low heat. Feed the crispy bits to the animals and pour the liquid into ice cube trays. Then once they set up, into a ziploc they go!

[Troutman]

All I have to say is if you give me a few cubes of ice and a straw I’d drink that stuff. 👍

[Sweaty Paul]

Thanks all!

[Sweaty Paul]

Thanks!

[Sweaty Paul]

I can do the conversion! Thanks!

[IowaGirl]

I render lard and tallow mostly for soap making, but it is fine for cooking too.

If you want the highest yield, the fat must be ground to really break up the fat structure. Otherwise, mince or chop the fat as finely as your patience and knife skills will allow.

The least hassle and lowest odor method is to render in a crock pot at 180 F / 80 C, but stovetop and oven also work. Stovetop is the easiest way to screw up if you don't stick with it 100%, so I stick to the oven for large quantities or the crock pot for smaller amounts. If you overheat the fat, it will discolor and develop an odor, so it's best to keep the temperature as low as is reasonable if you want the highest quality rendered fat.

Skim off the liquid fat as it accumulates, so it's exposed to heat for as short a time as possible.

Strain the fat to remove any specks of non-fat material -- collagen, blood flecks, etc. Otherwise nasty moldy bits may develop.

There's water naturally present in fat, so I leave the lid off the pot during rendering so water can evaporate. Also it's important to remove all traces of water from the fat, especially for long-term storage. Some people will reheat the rendered fat so it gets above boiling temp (212 F / 100 C) and wait until the crackling sounds disappear. The sounds are created as traces of water turns into steam. Other people will let the fat solidify in a container that has tapered sides, remove the solidified fat from its container, and scrape off any odd bits on the bottom that will be the water and water-based contaminants.

I sometimes put the hot fat in clean canning jars and seal with regular canning jar lids. I normally store rendered fat in the fridge or freezer, but some people store the jars at room temperature. An alternative to jars is to use small plastic buckets with snap lids and tapered sides -- buckets that will hold 4-5 lb / 1.8-2.3 kg of fat. It's easier to remove large quantities of fats from buckets like this.

If you want to store rendered fat at room temperature for a long time, put the fat in a canning jar when the fat is 180 F / 80 C or hotter, seal the jar, and turn the jar upside down for several minutes to sanitize the headspace and lid. Turn the hot jar rightside up and let cool. Do not open the jar until the time you are ready to use the fat.

Another option for long term storage is to add an antioxidant, such as rosemary oleoresin (ROE). I use ROE at 0.05% of the total fat weight. Not everyone does this, but it can help to extend the shelf life.

[ComfortablyNumb]

RonB Indeed, I'm living proof!

[RonB]

ComfortablyNumb - you do realize that every time someone comes up with a idiot proof product, someone else comes up with a better idiot - don't cha??

[Santamarina]

I’ve done pot on the stove and crock pot. They both come out similar, but the CP is much less work. Don’t have to worry about the temp, just give it a stir now and then.

[Henrik]

Ha ha! Yes, forgot to do the temp translation. Either way, it's real easy, no mess, but you still get that wonderful beef love flavor lingering in your house. Good times!

[Mr. Bones]

Ain't thing one wrong with Crisco, got a can sittin up top o' th dashboard of my range, even as we speak.
Member th Butter Flavoured Crisco?
Loretta Lynn did adverts fer it, ya probly recall seein em, as well...
I certainly appreciate, an feel more comfy with any approach that is "Idiot-Proof"; makes me feel like I might have a reasonable shot at it...