Schmaltz - OK to Use Skin from Old Layer Culls?

[Maeschak]

I have to cull 7-10 older layers - will the skin from older birds be useful for schmaltz? I can't think of any reason the skin would be unsuitable, but just in case it is, I don't want to waste my time scalding and plucking and will just skin the birds instead.

Going to start culling Saturday morning.

Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Okay, I'll bite. What is 'schmaltz'?

 

[Maeschak]

Okay, I'll bite. What is 'schmaltz'?

Clarified chicken fat sent straight from the heavens for frying potatoes or any other tasty treat!

But seriously, it's rendered chicken fat used as you would use any other fat. Some folks also use it as a spread sort of like butter. It was the main fat/oil used in Central Europe for a very long time until olive oils and pig fats were widely available (or bc folks didn't eat pig). It is also a staple of many Jewish homes. There is a great by-product of rendering schmaltz as well - gribenes (sp?). Gribenes are the bits of protein that end up getting fried while making schmaltz - it is sort of the chicken equivalent of bacon bits or something.

I never have very much body fat on my chickens so I have to use lots of chicken skin.

 

[sourland]

Can't see any reason the skin wouldn't suit your purpose other than that older layers are generally not very fat unless they have been free loading.

 

[Ridgerunner]

George, you night think of gribenes as chicken cracklings. I'm willing to bet you've rendered lard fom a pig in the fall before. Sounds like the same process.

Maeschak, the only possible issue I can come up with is that if the old hens are molting you're going to have a lot of pin feathers and that liquid in the feather sockets when you butcher. That might color the schmaltz or make the grabenes unappetizing. I don't think it would flavor either but it might. Healthwise I'd think they would be fine.

 

[Maeschak]

George, you night think of gribenes as chicken cracklings. I'm willing to bet you've rendered lard for a pig in the fall before. Sounds like the same process.

Maeschak, the only possible issue I can come up with is that if the old hens are molting you're going to have a lot of pin feathers and that liquid in the feather sockets when you butcher. That might color the schmaltz or make the grabenes unappetizing. I don't think it would flavor either but it might. Healthwise I'd think they would be fine.

Excellent point! And yes, most are molting in some manner (slow, fast, small patches, etc). Now that I think about it- it takes me an hour to skin older birds (I'm really not very good at it) so I guess I should just pluck and check it out when I get there...

And the crackling analogy is perfect!

Tx so much