# Question about rendered ham fat



## purple.alien.giraffe (May 27, 2013)

So, every time we bake a ham there is all this rendered fat on top of the drippings in the roasting pan. I put it all in the fridge overnight and then skim the fat off the next morning so I end up with a base for and amazing, nearly fat free ham stock. Normally I just discard the fat but I'm wondering, if I were to heat it to liquid so all the solids and any bits of congealed ham juice sank to the bottom, then skim the pure fat off, could I freeze the stuff for use in recipes? I mean, wouldn't it kind of be the same as using rendered bacon fat only ham flavored instead of bacon flavored? I wonder how potatoes would be fried in the stuff. Hmmm.


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## Aunt Bea (May 27, 2013)

Sounds logical to me.

Put the fat into a small saucepan with an inch or two of water.  Bring it to a boil and then let it chill overnight.  The floating grease should solidify and be free of any impurities.

Now what about that chicken fat, hmm!


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## Addie (May 27, 2013)

Want some remarkable biscuits? Save that fat and use it in your biscuit recipe. You can also use bacon fat. Diced ham in Bechamel Sauce over fresh made, ham flavored biscuits. I used to do that with bacon fat and my husband thought thy were the greatest biscuits he ever ate. I sometimes also added some grated cheese to them. Use some of the fat to replace some of the butter in the roux.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (May 27, 2013)

I love that idea. I am definitely going to have to try that.


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## Addie (May 27, 2013)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> I love that idea. I am definitely going to have to try that.


 
Glad you like it. My mother taught me that nothing goes to waste. Not even the fat. We always had an empty veggie can full of bacon fat.


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## Mad Cook (Jun 20, 2013)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> So, every time we bake a ham there is all this rendered fat on top of the drippings in the roasting pan. I put it all in the fridge overnight and then skim the fat off the next morning so I end up with a base for and amazing, nearly fat free ham stock. Normally I just discard the fat but I'm wondering, if I were to heat it to liquid so all the solids and any bits of congealed ham juice sank to the bottom, then skim the pure fat off, could I freeze the stuff for use in recipes? I mean, wouldn't it kind of be the same as using rendered bacon fat only ham flavored instead of bacon flavored? I wonder how potatoes would be fried in the stuff. Hmmm.


I don't see why not but bear in mind it might be salty and, being ham flavoured, I wouldn't use it in sweet dishes. As Aunt Bea says, clarify the fat in water. You can do the same thing with beef fat but lamb fat is a bit too strongly flavoured.


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## buckytom (Jun 21, 2013)

i use rendered ham fat to saute my veggies when making pea soup. 

it's also great when making home fries.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jun 21, 2013)

I did clarify it and I've used it a couple of times now. I fried a couple eggs in it and that was really good and I mixed some into cooked rice that I was making into fried rice. That was also really good.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Aug 3, 2013)

Had eggs fried in the rendered ham fat this morning and it reminded me of this thread. Figured I'd give an update.

The fat keeps really well in the freezer. I got about three baby food jars worth of fat initially and I'm down to two. I've found a little goes a long way. If I'm doing something that requires more oil I just add a little to whatever oil I'm using and it works out well. This particular ham was really salty and the fat and broth from it is really strong, but I've had ham that was milder in the past. I suspect I'd need to use more of the fat rendered from those hams, although it may have a purer "ham" flavor than this batch.

The following are some of my favorite uses for it thus far:

Saute green beans, onions, and mushrooms in it.

Fry really lean pork in it.

Add a little to some mashed, canned great northern beans, a little vegetable broth, and some spices for a quick cheater bean soup.

Fry potatoes in it.

Fried rice

Fried eggs

A little added to cooked lentils is good.

Softening a little of it and mixing it into breakfast sausage before cooking it as patties adds a really neat flavor layer to them. I know it sounds kind of odd but it tastes good.

A little in place of butter on a pancake with a little syrup is breakfast heaven. No surprise it tastes like eating a pancake topped with ham and drizzeled with syrup.

So, yeah, I'd say saving the fat was worth it.


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## Addie (Aug 3, 2013)

Sounds like we have a winner folks!


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## MysteryMunchies (Aug 11, 2013)

Yummy!


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