FATS AND THEIR ECONOMICAL USE IN THE HOME. 23 
on the bottom <6f 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- 
