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 
