Save every scrap of fat that comes with the meat and render it.

To Render Fat To Use For Cooking

Fat connected with tissue must be "tried out." The fat should be finely chopped and heated over water and strained. Done in this way there is no danger of burning and a white fat is obtained. If the fat has a strong odor, soaking it in salted water before rendering and adding a pinch of soda during rendering will remove it.

Clarifying Fat

To lessen characteristic flavors that are disliked by many, add to the rendered fat at least an equal amount of water and boil the mixture for an hour. Allow the fat to harden in a cake on top, pour off the water and heat the fat gently to drive off the water. This increases its keeping qualities. If the flavor is very strong, heating the fat with whole or skimmed milk (1 cup to 2 pounds of fat) will prove a more effectual method than the addition of water. Strain through the cloth to remove all bits of foreign matter.

Cracklings

The bits of tissue left after rendering the fat may be used for shortening such flour mixtures as corncake and gingerbread - ½ cup being equal to about 2 tablespoons of butter. If chopped sweet apple is added to corncake and a few raisins to gingerbread, the "chewy" bits of tissue are not noticed.

Softening Hard Fats

To make hard fats softer for such uses as cake making, they may be mixed with softer fats - such as, 2 parts mutton or beef fat with 1 part lard or 3 parts mutton or beef fat with 1 part cottonseed oil. Melt the fats together and stir while melting. Stir occasionally.

Savory Fat

Strongly flavored fats, such as bacon, ham, or mutton, should be used. Heat the fat over a slow fire for about an hour with the desired seasoning - the amount and kind depending upon individual taste. Some of the seasonings that may be used are onion, sour apple, whole thyme, marjoram, savory and bayleaf. Savory fat may be used for warming up potato, seasoning vegetables, browning fish, seasoning left-over meats, and in many other ways.

Uses Of Clarified Fats

In substituting other fats for butter as shortening, a slightly smaller amount may be used and salt must be added. If the somewhat pronounced flavors of such fats as mutton or beef are objectionable, a little more flavoring especially chocolate and spices may be added.

Chicken or bacon fat is good for spreading sandwiches and in making pastry. A perfectly satisfactory fat for deep fat frying may consist of a mixture of any clarified fats, such as beef, mutton, lard and bacon, provided there is not an overabundance of the harder fats.