What to do with the fat?

[Richard Chrz]

So, I keep trimming and throwing all of this fat from rime rib, briskets, pork shoulders.... I feel like I should be doing something with it the next day, not just throw. Suggestions?

[scottranda]

We call it beef love. Melt the fat (over stove or crock pot) and pour it in to ice cube molds and freeze it. When you need it, microwave it, and spread it on your steaks before searing. Other useful things for beef fat too. Like sausage.

[scottranda]

Pork fat is great in sausage too

[Spinaker]

Great advice here! Thanks! I use Wagyu tallow for pan frying all the time. Everyone should have some beef love.

[Murdy]

I primarily store it around my midsection. The rest goes in my hind-end.

[tbob4]

I use this method, as well. It really softens the blow when falling.

[Spinaker]

Lol

[fracmeister]

I coat is in rub, smoke it and eat it, But I am keto. Plan B is to smoke it and add it to chopped brisket or to hash. MMMMMgood.

[IowaGirl]

Render the fat and store it in the fridge or freezer. The rendered fat you don't want to use for cooking ... make soap! Lard and tallow are fats historically (and still) used for making soap. First pic is a soap made with beer. Second is a pine tar soap that my Mister and his hunting buddies like.

[IowaGirl]

Yep, them's my soaps. They both have lard in 'em, but I also use tallow when I can get it.

[OmegaDog12]

@IowaGirl...Please PM me your Soap Making Website or Blog site. Making soap from beef/pork trimmings sounds interesting!
The OmegaDog

[IowaGirl]

OmegaDog12 -- I don't sell my soap online, but I have written many articles about the chemistry of soap making and have put those articles on my website, There's not a lot of beginner how-to information there, but I list several good books and websites that will get a person started making soap safely and correctly. See https://classicbells.com/soap/soapystuff.html

[Polarbear777]

Cut into 1” cubes, vac seal and freeze. When needed grind with other cuts for sausage, burgers, etc.

render a couple cups worth, heat to 350F and pour slowly over a finished hunk of rib or brisket to "fat-flash" fry the surface. ( outside, on a rack over a pan. This is super messy)

[barelfly]

Beef love! And what everyone else says above!

[mrteddyprincess]

Render. No flavs like real fat!

[mnavarre]

Render it for Beef Love:



Fry stuff in it. Enjoy.

[HouseHomey]

I got all exited when I saw that blue tape. Literally.

[TNPIGBBQ]

Render of course as everyone else said.

Digression below:

I admire your dedication for trimming Boston Butts, I'll do it for brisket but I'm way to lazy for pork butts. Just rip it off with a glove and throw in the trash before serving. Leave some to mix in for extra umami flavor. But to be fair I learned to bbq at my cousin's restaurant so that woulda been impossible. It's rare I even bother thawing a butt. And I don't get the hate for the skin on the back of baby back ribs either, it's crispy and delicious once cooked and comes off so much easier at that point if the people I'm serving prefer it off. I honestly don't know how people manage to get it off before they cook them!

[glitchy]

Ribs skins are crazy. I see why most restaurants don’t remove it as it would add considerable labor to each rack. I take a butter knife, work under it in the center just enough to get a finger in, then slowly slide my finger under all the way to other side. Once you get across you’re usually good to go. However, about 20-30% of the tIme your fight and fight it.

[TNPIGBBQ]

glitchy Thanks. Yeah I've tried the butter knife and I've gotten it exactly twice. I gave up after awhile. I have respect for anyone that can consistently finagle that stuff off!

[MattSayar]

Grabbing it with a paper towel is key

[radshop]

Finally a question I know something about. This works equally well for beef or pork fat.

1. Cut the fat into bite-size chunks and put it in a pan on the smoker while you are smoking the meat.
2. As it cooks, periodically drain away the rendered liquid fat - ideally into a mason jar.
3. As it gets less liquid, keep an eye out so the fat chunks don't burn or get overly smoky. Pull it whenever it looks right - practice makes perfect, alcohol makes even more perfect.
4. Drain all the remaining liquid fat, and serve the chicharrones with salt and whatever other seasonings you like.
5. When you do this, the world will be a better place, you will have more friends, and you will sleep better at night.

Now, what about all that rendered liquid fat? It's got all that great smoky flavor, which is awesome for frying just about anything - especially omelettes. Depending on how clean it is or isn't, you might need to clarify it. At a minimum, strain off any solids. But to get it even clearer (which also helps prevent mold if you store it in the fridge for a long time), here's a method I invented. I'm sure others do the same, but I came up with this on my own and have been doing it for a long time:

1. You need the melted fat in a mason jar (warm it up again if it has started to harden) with a decent amount of headspace.
2. Skim away any solids or scum on the top.
3. Pour in about a quarter cup of boiling water.
4. Put a canning ring and lid on the jar and tighten snugly. (Careful - it might be hot!)
5. Let it sit for a few minutes so it's a little cooler but still liquid, then flip it upside down. By this time the lid probably won't be sealed but will have a little suction, so nothing should spill. But just to be safe, over a pan is best until you've got the hang of it.
6. Set it on the counter (or in a pan for safety) upside down and wait. Once it gets closer to room temp, put it in the fridge - still upside down - until the fat hardens.
7. At this point, when you take it out of the fridge and turn it upright, the clarified fat will be on the bottom (probably with some air space below it), and the water with all of the unwanted gunk will be at the top. Remove the lid and dump out the gunky water. Wipe away any remaining gunk with a paper towel and throw away.
8. Depending on how dirty the fat is and how clear you want it to be, you can repeat this process as many times as you want. Usually 1 or 2 is fine - I don't think I've ever done more than 3.

Okay, but what if you don't want to do the chicharrones and clarifying? There's another great option:

1. Store all those scraps of fat in ziploc bags in the freezer. Unlike meat that gets freezer burned, fat can be frozen indefinitely with little effect.
2. When you have about 5 pounds of it, go buy 15-20 pounds of cheap cuts of lean-ish meat and grind all the meat and fat together for sausage.

[IowaGirl]

If the rendered fat isn't overly smoky or strongly flavored, it makes lovely pastry and Snickerdoodle cookies. Also tamales -- the dough is traditionally made with lard.

[rwhfly]

I add some herbs, salt etc to the tallow and make a candle with a wick. At dinner put the lit candle on the table and pass it to drizzle on crusty bread. Same for a lard candle.

These are approximate amounts as I wing it and taste.

For 1/2 cup lard or tallow I add some of the below:
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
1/8 tsp salt

Salt is the only required ingredient in my opinion. I usually go with thyme, oregano or rosemary and sometimes add black pepper or garlic. Vary amount by how strong you want the herb taste. You can always add more by remelting.

When it tastes right make the candle in a bowl and pass at dinner. Just tilt and drip onto bread, potatoes, meat, etc.

[HouseHomey]

Everything they said.👆👆👆
I didn’t read them all but if no one mentioned it.

cook you potatoes in it. You will not be sorry. Add it to your frying oil. Trust me on that one.

carry on!