Clarified Fat
Ingredients
Directions
Render the fat
Cut the fat into small pieces and place it in an old saucepan with the water.
Boil until the water has evaporated.
Keep over low heat until the fat shrivels and turns light brown.
Stir and press with an iron spoon occasionally.
When done, cool slightly and strain into a basin.
Use
Use when cold for frying or in plain pastry and cakes.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Fat or suet
- Melts into clear liquid fat that carries the cooking and flavour of the dish.
- Water
- Boils off first, helping to gently heat the fat and prevent scorching at the start.
The step that matters
Keep over low heat until the fat shrivels and turns light brown. Low, steady heat renders fat slowly without burning the solids. Too much heat scorches the residue and gives the clarified fat a bitter, burnt taste.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes
Spice Cake344 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.