Post by Granny Smith on Mar 6, 2008 22:08:21 GMT -5
This is how you 'wash' grease, to remove bits of meat and make it usable for cooking, baking, soapmaking, or whatever else you might want it for.
First, put your strained, melted grease into a pan. It should be less than halfway full. Add about as much cold water as you have grease.
Bring this to a boil over medium heat. Boil a couple of minutes, then remove from heat. Allow to cool and refrigerate the whole pan, water and all, until fat becomes solid (I leave it overnight).
Remove the layer of grease from water and rinse under cold running water. Pour out water that's still in the pan. Rinse pan. Put the grease back in the pan and add about the same amount of cold water.
Bring to a boil again. Remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate until fat layer is firm.
Lift off fat again, rinse under cold running water, then pat dry and set aside.
Empty and wash the pan and dry it well. Place fat back into pan, but this time don't add any water. Slowly heat the fat, then let it cook, over low heat, to evaporate any water that is still left in it. Water in the fat can cause it to turn rancid, so try to get it all out. This is a very messy step, since the grease will pop (sometimes violently), so you might want to put a screen over the pan. It's a good idea to stand back until it calms down.
Once the grease stops popping, cool again, pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze. Use like you would use lard or shortening. This makes a nice, white grease with very little flavor of its own.
First, put your strained, melted grease into a pan. It should be less than halfway full. Add about as much cold water as you have grease.
Bring this to a boil over medium heat. Boil a couple of minutes, then remove from heat. Allow to cool and refrigerate the whole pan, water and all, until fat becomes solid (I leave it overnight).
Remove the layer of grease from water and rinse under cold running water. Pour out water that's still in the pan. Rinse pan. Put the grease back in the pan and add about the same amount of cold water.
Bring to a boil again. Remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate until fat layer is firm.
Lift off fat again, rinse under cold running water, then pat dry and set aside.
Empty and wash the pan and dry it well. Place fat back into pan, but this time don't add any water. Slowly heat the fat, then let it cook, over low heat, to evaporate any water that is still left in it. Water in the fat can cause it to turn rancid, so try to get it all out. This is a very messy step, since the grease will pop (sometimes violently), so you might want to put a screen over the pan. It's a good idea to stand back until it calms down.
Once the grease stops popping, cool again, pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze. Use like you would use lard or shortening. This makes a nice, white grease with very little flavor of its own.