Talk to me about chicken fat

[Maeschak]

I know this is from 2016 but thank you
Just processed layers with a ton of fat on them. So I know what I’m gonna do
Sounds delicious and easy

I hate scalding and plucking chickens but I do it on every single bird so that I can save its skin for rendering into schmaltz (rendered chicken fat). It is so delicious! I butcher mostly cockerels so I don't get much internal chicken fat and must use mostly skin for rendering. Schmaltz made out of chicken skin has a more pronounced 'chickeny' flavor than when using only internal chicken fat- but I love it just as much. Don't throw away those skins from old birds! Those chickens have spent a lot of time and energy making that tasty fat for you to use!
(You can store it in the fridge for quite awhile but it also freezes well for later use. Most of my schmaltz is in jelly jars in the freezer.)

 

[jolenesdad]

thanks @Morrigan! My Imperial broilers have a ton of fat on them. I pressure cooked one this weekend and I think I took well over a cup of fat out of the pot afterwards. I just sat here looking at it thinking there's GOT to be a better use for this than tossing it.

Im drooling over roast vegetables tossed in chicken fat.

This may be a dumb question, but do you just heat it up a little, like in the microwave, to get it from solid to liquid to use in such a situation?

 

[Sequel]

thanks @Morrigan! My Imperial broilers have a ton of fat on them. I pressure cooked one this weekend and I think I took well over a cup of fat out of the pot afterwards. I just sat here looking at it thinking there's GOT to be a better use for this than tossing it.

Im drooling over roast vegetables tossed in chicken fat.

This may be a dumb question, but do you just heat it up a little, like in the microwave, to get it from solid to liquid to use in such a situation?

Yum I’m jealous of your home grown schmaltz! You could melt it in the microwave or just put a blob in the roasting pan you’ll do the veggies in and when it’s melted toss the veggies in to coat them. I’m always into dirtying fewer dishes.

 

[jolenesdad]

Yum I’m jealous of your home grown schmaltz! You could melt it in the microwave or just put a blob in the roasting pan you’ll do the veggies in and when it’s melted toss the veggies in to coat them. I’m always into dirtying fewer dishes.

Perfect!!! Thanks!!

 

[Morrigan]

Yum I’m jealous of your home grown schmaltz! You could melt it in the microwave or just put a blob in the roasting pan you’ll do the veggies in and when it’s melted toss the veggies in to coat them. I’m always into dirtying fewer dishes.

This is what I do as well. If I'm pressed for time, I don't even wait for it to melt - I just use my hands to mix a spoonful in with the vegetables and find the heat of my hands is enough to melt it to sufficiently to coat the vegetables.

 

[Jackschicks]

My daughter and I make chicken sausage from my old laying hens and we grind the schmaltz up along with the chicken and seasonings. Keeps the sausage nice and moist and gives it a really nice flavor!