Does anybody use the fat from stock for baking?

Primrose

Thanks to our friendly butcher giving us a huge bag of chicken carcasses, we now have a large bowlful of moist fat scraped off the stock jelly which has been boiled down and chilled.
Normally I'd use this for making fatty oats for the birds, but it smells wonderful and I wonder whether I can use it for making savoury pastry? It's really quite runny and liquid, but I imagine the taste would improve the flavour of savoury cheese scones. However, would it make the pasty too fatty or oily?

Plum_Pie

This is a bit of a 'round-the-houses' answer but...

Jews traditionally cook with chicken fat or 'schmaltz' . (I think schmaltz originally meant fat in Yiddish/old German, but has come to mean chicken fat).

Here are some Jewish recipe ideas:
dumplings for soup, chopped liver,
http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=schmaltz
'Kugel' (type of pasta bake)
http://www.sadiesalome.com/recipes/schmaltz.html
schmalzt herrings
http://www.recipes-from-friends.com/fish/schmaltz-herrings.htm

Apparently it's also popular in the southern states:
http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickencasseroles/r/bl40311b.htm

And China....

Pak choi with proscitutto and chicken fat (I've been to China -they don't have 'prosciutto' as we know it, but they do have thinly sliced cured pork and it is delish.)
http://www.cuisine.com.au/recipe/bok-choy-stir-fried-with-prosciutto-and-chicken-fat

Almond chicken
http://www.chinesefooddiy.com/chicken_war_su_gai.htm

You can also use it in pastry (3rd answer down)
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080726095248AANFleM

dannie

I've got quite a lot of chicken fat but no freezer storage for it. As it is semi-soft will it keep as long as hard lamb fat will in the fridge?
Thanks.

JillS_2

dannie wrote: »

I've got quite a lot of chicken fat but no freezer storage for it. As it is semi-soft will it keep as long as hard lamb fat will in the fridge?
Thanks.

I doubt that it would keep for so long but will probably keep for a bit depending on how cool your non-fridge storage is. You should also keep it dark since light helps butter to go off and probably has the same effect on other fats. I'd try to store in fridge or freezer if possible. But before storing you need to take it out of the basin or bowl you poured it in and check for (and remove) any stock or gungy bits -- just keep the pure fat.

thriftlady_2

I don't use chicken fat for baking, I think it is too soft but I use it for frying. I had a roast chicken on sunday and kept the fat which I've used today for frying croutons for our soup.

I find it keeps for ages in the fridge but I don't amass a large amount. The fat from hm stock just goes into what ever I make with the stock.

verychattyeve

I used goose fat in pastry not long ago. Makes a very tasty shortcrust pastry for a chicken and veg pie.

maryb

I don't use chicken fat but I do use the fat that collects on top of the water that I steam my Christmas pudding in. It smells wonderfully Christmassy and it's pure white so lovely in pastry for mince pies

Patchwork_Quilt

I think it should keep in the fridge for about a week - after all, it's like butter, isn't it? Cover the top of your container with cling film, though. I used to roast potatoes in chicken fat. Not sure it's very healthy, though.

dannie

Thanks for the replies. I suspected that the storage life may not be as long so I'll opt for what Quilt thinks.

DonnaP

Hi

I made a lovely chicken and leek pie last week with the fat from an organic chicken (I'm not wasting anything from an organic bird!).

I put the flour, fat and egg in the food processor with a bit of water and pastry done. It was lovely and rolled out a treat (I did it in the processor because the fat was a bit runny).

Donna