Waste Not Want Not
November 17, 2011 5:37 PM Subscribe
What should I do with alla this schmaltz? I've heard you can use it in cooking "like butter" (ok, I read that searching for schmaltz here on askme) - but do you have any suggestions?
I'm making matzo ball soup right now. I let the broth cool overnight and I just skimmed the motherload of schmaltz off of the top and set it aside. I want to use it to make something delicious. WHAT SHOULD I MAKE? Askme, you are so good at this. Tell me some things.
I'm making matzo ball soup right now. I let the broth cool overnight and I just skimmed the motherload of schmaltz off of the top and set it aside. I want to use it to make something delicious. WHAT SHOULD I MAKE? Askme, you are so good at this. Tell me some things.
Best answer: Pan-fry potatoes in it.
Here's how I pan-fry potatoes: I cube the potatoes into half-inch cubes, then cover with water in a shallow frying pan. I salt the water. Then I boil it all until dry. Then I add the fat (here, schmaltz), enough to come up the sides of the pan slightly. Let it get brown on the bottom, and then stir it now and then and keep frying until it's all brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. If you salted the water aggressively enough, it won't need more salt.
posted by palliser at 5:51 PM on November 17, 2011 [8 favorites]
Here's how I pan-fry potatoes: I cube the potatoes into half-inch cubes, then cover with water in a shallow frying pan. I salt the water. Then I boil it all until dry. Then I add the fat (here, schmaltz), enough to come up the sides of the pan slightly. Let it get brown on the bottom, and then stir it now and then and keep frying until it's all brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. If you salted the water aggressively enough, it won't need more salt.
posted by palliser at 5:51 PM on November 17, 2011 [8 favorites]
Well, the classic use would be to put the schmaltz in the matzo balls. Also, potatoes fried in poultry fat of any kind is excellent.
posted by Foam Pants at 5:51 PM on November 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Foam Pants at 5:51 PM on November 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
Chopped liver. I think that's traditional and that the best chopped livers still use schmaltz liberally.
Spread it on toast. Don't forget some salt. I had this at a restaurant where I expect many people thought it was very creative.
posted by stuart_s at 5:52 PM on November 17, 2011
Spread it on toast. Don't forget some salt. I had this at a restaurant where I expect many people thought it was very creative.
posted by stuart_s at 5:52 PM on November 17, 2011
Oh, and this recipe for chopped liver is quite good. I do like to puree it in a blender before adding the chopped eggs, though.
posted by palliser at 5:53 PM on November 17, 2011
posted by palliser at 5:53 PM on November 17, 2011
Best answer: Oh my god I am so jealous of you right now.
Chopped liver is a must. A must! Everyone has a different preference for their onion/liver/egg ratio and all that but the super secret to getting the best texture is using the sausage grinder attachment on a kitchenaid stand mixer. Or I guess if you have just a regular sausage grinder but who has that?
Okay let's also get you some vegetables. Braise red cabbage (diced onion and apple - sauteed in shmaltz, caraway seeds, vinegar or wine, some honey) and to finish it melt a spoonful of shmaltz and mix it together, which will make everything all unctuous and silky.
You can make a sauce/gravy thing with shmaltz, lemon zest and juice, vegetable stock, flour and garlic that will go on anything green in existence. This basically consists of having a shallow pan with all your ingredients at a low boil and stirring and seasoning and tasting and stirring until it's thick and yummy and to your taste. Put on green beans, asparagus, broccoli, peas, whatever!
posted by Mizu at 6:52 PM on November 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
Chopped liver is a must. A must! Everyone has a different preference for their onion/liver/egg ratio and all that but the super secret to getting the best texture is using the sausage grinder attachment on a kitchenaid stand mixer. Or I guess if you have just a regular sausage grinder but who has that?
Okay let's also get you some vegetables. Braise red cabbage (diced onion and apple - sauteed in shmaltz, caraway seeds, vinegar or wine, some honey) and to finish it melt a spoonful of shmaltz and mix it together, which will make everything all unctuous and silky.
You can make a sauce/gravy thing with shmaltz, lemon zest and juice, vegetable stock, flour and garlic that will go on anything green in existence. This basically consists of having a shallow pan with all your ingredients at a low boil and stirring and seasoning and tasting and stirring until it's thick and yummy and to your taste. Put on green beans, asparagus, broccoli, peas, whatever!
posted by Mizu at 6:52 PM on November 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
Not that I expect you'll do this, but my dad always swore that two sisters he went to high school had the most beautiful hair in the world because they used schmaltz as a hair dressing.
He was always so disappointed that I wouldn't try it.
posted by MexicanYenta at 7:24 PM on November 17, 2011
He was always so disappointed that I wouldn't try it.
posted by MexicanYenta at 7:24 PM on November 17, 2011
This is going to sound a bit underwhelming, but spread some, very thinly, on toast instead of butter. Amazing.
posted by hot soup girl at 7:35 PM on November 17, 2011
posted by hot soup girl at 7:35 PM on November 17, 2011
Spread it on marble rye and hungrily devour it until you swoon from deliciousness.
posted by elizardbits at 8:08 PM on November 17, 2011
posted by elizardbits at 8:08 PM on November 17, 2011
Response by poster: Mizu - YES! I am getting red cabbage in my box of veggies next week! WIN! And those potatoes sound so good. I don't use the schmaltz in the matzo balls because I am lazy and just use the box mix. I am afraid to try spreading chicken fat directly on bread, but I will give it a shot!
posted by pazazygeek at 8:51 PM on November 17, 2011
posted by pazazygeek at 8:51 PM on November 17, 2011
Best answer: Also, hash browns. I just made some tonight with a mixture of schmaltz and bacon grease, and while I may die in my sleep tonight, it will have been worth it. I chopped up five baked potatoes, skins and all, and one very large sweet onion. Onions went into the pan until they were soft, potatoes were added, garlic powder and paprika were sprinkled over the top, and the whole mess was cooked, stirring frequently, until things were brown (none of this "golden brown" nonsense--browned) and crispy. We each got a scoop of hash brown, a fried egg, and some sauteed spinach, and it was the best damn dinner I've had in a month.
posted by MeghanC at 9:23 PM on November 17, 2011
posted by MeghanC at 9:23 PM on November 17, 2011
You have to report back, this sounds so delicious.
posted by canine epigram at 6:15 AM on November 18, 2011
posted by canine epigram at 6:15 AM on November 18, 2011
On bread? Yea, get some beautiful sourdough or french, slice it up spread it on and put it in the oven for a few minutes ala garlic bread! (MMMM. I gained two pounds reading this awesome post.)
posted by snsranch at 5:14 PM on November 18, 2011
posted by snsranch at 5:14 PM on November 18, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Juliet Banana at 5:50 PM on November 17, 2011