The great "Chicken Fat" Inquiry.

[Nancy's Helper]

Hello:

Just a few words to explain WHO and WHAT regarding my membership.

You'll be listening/talking to a 68 year old man who is determined to find out about "Chicken fat". Yes, Chicken fat.........!

The "WHO and HOW" this substance is used by the people in the forum.
Sooooo.... in a short time I will start the inquiry......

Later folks,
Nancy's Helper (Jim O)

 

[Andy M.]

Welcome aboard!

 

[GB]

Ahhh chicken fat, sometimes known as schmaltz. Great stuff!

Welcome to the site.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Welcome to the site. Personally, for me, chicken fat is just gross. No seriously...its disgusting. And whats up with that clear slimy stuff between the meat and the skin.

 

[VegasDramaQueen]

Chicken fat is wonderful! Don't let anyone tell you differently. Skim the fat from a roasted chicken and put it in a jar in the fridge. It keeps for a long time but if you have a lot then freeze some. You can make the most awesome homefried potatoes by adding a Tbsp. of chicken fat. Sometimes I brown chicken in the fat before putting it in the oven. It's great for making chicken gravy and flavoring chicken soup. You only need a little, but it gives whatever you make a wonderful flavor. I've had matzo balls made with chicken fat and there is no comparison to the ones using oil or Crisco. Schmaltz reigns supreme!!!

 

[SizzlininIN]

Okay.....I don't have a problem with it being rendered for things. I'm referring to when someone doesn't clean their chicken really well by removing the fat when frying the chicken. I find this when we go to say KFC and they don't clean off the fat very well and when I bit into the chicken I bite into fat and thats just plain gross. Now when I make my homemade chicken and noodles.....I leave some of the fat on the chicken when boiling it to get that good chicken flavor.

 

[Sandyj]

I think it was much more common in days gone by to save the fat from your chicken roasts (and other cooking too). I know my MIL still does this, and I remember my dad telling me that as a boy in the '30s, they'd even spread a little of this saved fat on fresh bread and then salt it - instead of butter.

 

[VegasDramaQueen]

Okay.....I don't have a problem with it being rendered for things. I'm referring to when someone doesn't clean their chicken really well by removing the fat when frying the chicken. I find this when we go to say KFC and they don't clean off the fat very well and when I bit into the chicken I bite into fat and thats just plain gross. Now when I make my homemade chicken and noodles.....I leave some of the fat on the chicken when boiling it to get that good chicken flavor.

Right you are Sizzlin. I try to remove as much fat as possible when frying chicken. While I love rendering the fat, I don't like biting into it and eating it either. KFC's chickens have too much fat as far as I'm concerned.

 

[mudbug]

LOL. Bienvenue, Jim - intriguing way to introduce yourself.

Chicken fat is not arsenic - used judiciously it is a Good Thing (echoing geebs).

 

[unmuzzleme]

Welcome! I'm sure you'll find all the answers and more regarding chicken fat here. It's a great community.

Have fun!

 

[bragawave]

Question re: chicken fat / schmaltz

Hello,
I'm new to this site and found it by doing a search on "freezing chicken fat". Can anyone out there could tell me the best (safest) way to freeze small quantities of chicken fat, for future use. Thanks.

 

[Gretchen]

I use it to make the roux for my chicken potpie, like I would use turkey grease to make my gravy for T'giving. And don't forget duck fat and cassoulet. It is delicious stuff.
When I roast a chicken I will sometimes put a thick layer of sliced onions and potatoes under the chicken to roast in the fat that comes off the chicken.

 

[mudbug]

bragawave, are you talking about rendered fat or just the trimmings from the raw meat?

 

[bragawave]

It's rendered fat...

To: mudbug
Apologies for not being more specific. It's rendered chicken fat, which was skimmed from a large pot of chicken stock. I've already used some to make matzo balls, but have quite a bit left. In the past, I've kept any extra in a container in the refrigerator... and then usually forget that I had saved it.

I'm not Jewish, but did grow up in a Jewish neighborhood when I was a kid.
I don't cook many traditional Jewish dishes, but have wonderful memories of being served homemade chicken soup with delicate matzo balls. As so many people know, the ONLY way to get tender super-delicious matzo balls, is to use chicken fat in the recipe. YUM!!!

So... any ideas on how to safely freeze the extra? I don't have one of those bag sealing machine, that suck the air out of a bagged portion. If I formed little patties out of the chilled fat, and put each one in a zip lock sandwich bag... would that be safe enough for the fat to be stored in the freezer?

 

[skilletlicker]

To: mudbug
...It's rendered chicken fat, which was skimmed from a large pot of chicken stock.

After skimming this from the top of the refrigerated stock heat it until the spiting stops and the water is boiled off.

So... any ideas on how to safely freeze the extra? I don't have one of those bag sealing machine, that suck the air out of a bagged portion. If I formed little patties out of the chilled fat, and put each one in a zip lock sandwich bag... would that be safe enough for the fat to be stored in the freezer?

I welcome the professional expertise of VeraBlue at this point but I think you can freeze safely in whatever quantities you want. Mine is in an empty yeast jar.

 

[bragawave]

Thanks

Thanks, skilletlicker. I wouldn't have thought of removing any drops of stock from the chicken fat. Heating it up would serve that purpose perfectly.

 

[Mylegsbig]

chickenfat is disgusting..the only thing i dont like cutting is the fat off of chicken...well any fat, but chicken fat is by far the most foul

 

[Gretchen]

We are talking rendered fat, not raw fat.
Just freeze it in a plastic bag. It will be fine. There isn't anything to get freezer burn.

 

[bragawave]

Thanks

We are talking rendered fat, not raw fat.
Just freeze it in a plastic bag. It will be fine. There isn't anything to get freezer burn.

---------
Yes, rendered fat... not raw.

Thanks, Gretchen. I also appreciated and totally agree with your earlier posting regarding turkey fat and duck fat as well... and I never use a rack to roast chickens. There's nothing better than round slices of onion, under the birds as they roast, for great pan drippings (and "non-stick" roasting).

As previously suggested, I'll evaporate (in a saucepan, on the stovetop) whatever drops of stock exist in the rendered/skimmed fat and then freeze it in zip-lock bags for future use.

I'm still learning how to navigate through this website, and trying to figure out all the options, but I can see that this site will prove to be a great information resource for me. Thanks to all!

 

[Michael in FtW]

I love schmaltz!

You don't have to get too fancy if you want to store it for more than a couple of weeks ... just skim it and then put into an ice-cube tray and freeze (a little stock in it isn't going to hurt anything). When frozen, dump into a zip-top freezer bag ... squeeze out as much air as you can, seal, then use as needed.