FATS AND THEIR ECONOMICAL USE IN THE HOME. 21 



try for delivery remove much of the fat in order to make the meat 

 appear more attractive. The purchaser often does not take the trou- 

 ble to ask for this fat, even though he may have paid for it at the 

 same rate as the meat. If this fat were secured, as is frequently the 

 case with the excess bone and trimmings which are used for soup 

 making, it could often be rendered at home and used to supplement 

 cooking fats. Sometimes very large and fat cuts of meat are sold 

 at a relatively low price per pound. While the purchaser may 

 think that thus a bargain is being secured, it is usually true after 

 allowance has been made for a large quantity of fat and bone that the 

 price paid for the lean portion is considerably higher than appears 

 at first thought. In such cases it is especially desirable that the excess 

 fat be utilized in the home. 



If one so desires, bits of fat meat, portions of butter, etc., left over 

 from the table may be saved, rendered (if necessary), clarified, and 

 used for cooking. While there may seem to be some esthetic objec- 

 tion to this procedure, this is not necessarily a serious one under 

 family conditions where good health prevails, since if properly ren- 

 dered the fat is sterilized. The better way, however, is to effect the 

 same saving by taking care in serving that each portion is approxi- 

 mately what will be eaten. Under commercial conditions the use of 

 table left-overs is entirely unjustified, since the person served can 

 know neither the circumstances under which they were obtained nor 

 the quality of the material which he may eat. The pieces of excess 

 fat trimmed before cooking from roasts, steaks, or chops should be 

 saved as well as the drippings tried out in cooking. Drippings 

 from fresh pork may be clarified and used like lard. Beef fat or 

 drippings and small quantities of lamb fat, if fresh and carefully 

 clarified, may be added to lard or other soft fats for deep frying. 

 Sausage, ham, and bacon fats may be used as they are for frying and 

 warming up foods, since the characteristic flavors which they impart 

 are relished by many. 



In some parts of the country fat is used (but less now than for- 

 merly) to preserve meats for a limited time. The thoroughly 

 cooked meats are placed in clean earthen jars or wooden tubs, and 

 over them is poured a sufficient quantity of hot melted lard or beef 

 suet to cover. The hot fat sterilizes the surface of the meat and on 

 cooling forms a protective coating against the action of the air, bac- 

 teria, or mold spores. So far as is known this method has not been 

 tested experimentally, but meat so treated is said to keep very well, 

 providing it is thoroughly cooked and the fat has been heated suffi- 

 ciently to sterilize it and drive off the water. To prevent the fat 

 from becoming rancid it is desirable to store the jars in a cool, dark 

 place. Carefully rendered beef suet or mutton tallow may also be 



