FATS AND THEIR ECONOMICAL USE IN THE HOME. 23 



on the bottom <oi the outer kettle to insure a layer of water between 

 the two kettles and prevent the fat from becoming too hot. 



Fats which have been saved when meats are cooked, or which have 

 been salvaged in some other way, must usually be clarified — that is, 

 freed from objectionable odors, tastes, or colors — before being entirely 

 satisfactory for culinary purposes. A common custom is to cook a 

 slice of potato in the fat, and this may help if the fat is fairly satis- 

 factory to start with. A fairly successful household method for clari- 

 fying fats is as follows : Melt the fat with at least an equal volume 

 of water and heat for a short time at a moderate temperature, with 

 occasional stirring. Let the mixture cool, remove the layer of fat, 

 and scrape off any bits of meat and other material which may adhere to 

 the under side. Rendering or clarifying fat with milk gives quite satis- 

 factory results in modifying odors and flavors. The procedure is as 

 follows: To 2 pounds of fat (finely chopped if unrendered) add 

 one-half pint of milk (preferably sour). Heat the mixture in a 

 double boiler until rendered or thoroughly melted, stir well, and 

 strain through fairly thick cloth. When cold the fat forms a hard, 

 clean layer, and any dark material adhering to the under side of 

 the fat may be scraped off. Sour milk, being coagulated, is prefer- 

 able to sweet milk, since the curd remains on the cloth through which 

 the rendered mixture is strained and is thus more easily separated 

 from the rendered fat, which has acquired some of the milk flavor 

 and butter fat. 



Undesirable odors and flavors can be decreased in intensity or 

 removed, if not too pronounced, by heating the fats with a good 

 grade of charcoal, and the method is applicable to fats which could 

 not be satisfactorily treated by the method first spoken of. To 

 each pound of chopped, unrendered fat add 12 pieces of clean, hard- 

 wood charcoal about the size of a walnut and render the fat in a 

 double boiler, as described above. Allow the charcoal to remain in 

 the melted fat for about two hours and stir the mixture occasionally. 

 It is necessary to strain the fat through flannel or other closely 

 woven cloth to remove all the fine particles of charcoal. Rancid 

 odors, if not too pronounced, may be satisfactorily removed by this 

 method. If the odor is very pronounced more charcoal is needed, 

 and the mixture requires longer heating. It is interesting to note 

 that the characteristic yellow color of the beef fat may be removed 

 and a white, odorless fat secured. 



SAVORY FATS. 



Savory fats — that is, fats to which have been added some strong 

 seasoning material, such as sage, marjoram, summer savory, or 

 thyme — offer a satisfactory method of utilizing fats having pro- 



