Frying Fat—its Preparation

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8-quart heavy stainless-steel pot or enameled Dutch oven with high sides
• •Clip-on frying thermometer or instant-read thermometer rated to at least 450°F (230°C)
• •Long-handled metal spoon or ladle
• •Fine-mesh sieve and dry coarse natural-fiber cheesecloth
• •Large heatproof metal bowl
• •Dry heatproof jars totaling 2 quarts (1.9 liters)
• •Metal lid or baking sheet large enough to cover the pot

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim and cut fat

   Chill the kidney fat until firm, then remove blood spots, bruised pieces, and the heaviest cords of connective tissue. Cut it into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces, or pulse it briefly in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Keep distinct pieces rather than making a paste; even cutting helps the fat render before the membranes scorch. Set a metal lid or baking sheet large enough to cover the pot beside the stove before lighting the burner.

   A butcher can coarsely grind the suet for you. Ask for fresh fat from around the beef kidneys, not rendered tallow, roast trimmings, or seasoned scraps.
2. 2

   Melt with water

   Put the chopped fat and cold water in a completely dry, high-sided 8-quart pot. Heat over medium-low, uncovered, stirring from the bottom every five to ten minutes. The water works through the pieces, helping the fat melt evenly before the temperature can rise enough to brown them. Expect broad bubbling and some swelling, but the contents should remain below half the pot's height. If foam climbs toward the rim, turn off the burner and let it collapse before resuming at lower heat. Never add water once the fat is hot.

3. 3

   Cook the fat pure

   Continue cooking gently as the solid pieces shrink. While water remains, the temperature will hover near 212°F (100°C) and the bubbling will sound wet and busy. When the sound sharpens to a fine crackle and the temperature begins climbing above 230°F (110°C), the water has evaporated and purification has begun. Stir more frequently now so the greaves colour evenly. Cook until the greaves are small and deep golden, bubbling has nearly ceased, and the fat reaches about 390 to 400°F (199 to 204°C). At the first faint wisp and the distinct toasted smell of cooked fat, turn off the heat immediately. You want that first signal, never sustained smoke.

   If the fat smokes heavily or smells acrid, turn off the burner and cover the pot until it settles. If it ignites, smother it with the metal lid and use a suitable kitchen fire extinguisher if needed. Never put water on burning fat.
4. 4

   Rest and strain

   Leave the pot off the heat for ten minutes, exactly long enough for the fierce activity to settle while the fat remains fully liquid. Set a fine-mesh sieve lined with dry, coarse natural-fiber cheesecloth over a heatproof metal bowl. Pour the fat through slowly, away from your body, then press the greaves with the back of a long-handled ladle. Do not gather and twist the hot cloth in your hands; that was practical with a staffed brigade and is needless at home. Discard the spent greaves once they are cool.

5. 5

   Cool and judge

   Pour the strained fat into clean, completely dry, heatproof jars while it is still liquid, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headroom. Let it cool without sealing until it reaches room temperature, then inspect it. Properly purified graisse de friture sets smooth and ivory-pale, with no beads of water underneath. If liquid collects at the bottom or a spoonful spits sharply when reheated, ça se rattrape: return the whole batch to a dry pot and cook gently until the crackling stops and the temperature rises above 230°F (110°C), then strain it again into fresh, dry containers.

6. 6

   Store for frying

   Seal the jars only when the fat is fully cool. Refrigerate for up to three months, or freeze in practical portions for up to one year. Melt only what you need for frying and heat it according to the food, usually between 350 and 375°F (175 and 190°C). After each use, let the fat cool until safe but still fluid, strain it into a separate clean container, and keep it cold. Discard it when it smells acrid, feels sticky, darkens heavily, or foams persistently.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh beef kidney fat is the point of this preparation. It should be firm, creamy white, and mild-smelling. Yellowed edges, blood-heavy scraps, or a sour smell belong nowhere near the pot.
• •Do not begin with fat skimmed from pot-au-feu or roast drippings. Those fats have already collected water, salt, browned proteins, and other impurities, so they tire quickly and penetrate fried food instead of leaving it crisp.
• •For a finer but less durable household frying medium, the source permits 2½ lb (1.13 kg) beef kidney fat with 2½ lb (1.13 kg) veal fat. Another permitted blend is 2½ lb (1.13 kg) beef fat, 1¼ lb (567 g) veal fat, and 1¼ lb (567 g) pork fat. Keep the total at 5 lb (2.27 kg) and the water at 1 cup (240 ml / 240 g).
• •Mutton fat has no place in this batch. Older fat can smell strongly of tallow, while fat from a younger animal may foam dangerously. Butter is for small, occasional fryings, not for building a stored, long-working frying medium.
• •Filter used fat after every frying. Crumbs continue cooking after the food is gone, and one neglected coating of burnt flour can spoil an otherwise sound jar.

Advance Preparation

• •The raw suet can be trimmed and cut one day ahead. Keep it tightly covered and very cold, or chill it in the freezer for thirty minutes before cutting if it has softened.
• •Prepare the graisse de friture up to three months ahead and refrigerate it in several small jars. Smaller portions let you melt only what one frying session needs while the untouched fat stays clean.
• •For longer storage, freeze the cooled fat for up to one year. Leave headroom in rigid containers, label each portion, and thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 14g)