The FAT KITCHEN
The only real drawback to rendering your own fats is time. Regardless of the type of fat you’re working with, the process is pretty much the same. Chop the fat into small pieces (1-inch dice or smaller), put in a heavy pot, and add a small amount of water to prevent scorching until the fat begins to melt. Melt the fat over low to medium heat, stirring frequently; don’t let it bubble furiously. When the solid bits begin to color, begin removing and straining the fat through a fine-mesh strainer into storage containers. Ideally, the fat will be entirely neutral in taste, but the longer the melted fat remains with the solid golden or browned bits, the meatier the fat will taste. If your fat tastes too “porky” or “beefy” to you, it’s probably been allowed to sit with the browned bits for too long. So be vigilant and watch for browning.
Some people like to render in a covered roasting pan in the oven at 250 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In this way, they avoid the necessity of keeping watch over the rendering. It takes longer in the oven, and more odors accumulate in the house. It’s also hard to judge when it’s time to start pouring off the rendered fat, so there’s the
