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How to Render Goat Fat (or any animal fat)

Use these instructions to render fat from any animal.

Course Household & Health
Author Wardee Harmon

Ingredients

  • fat cut into small chunks

Instructions

  1. Ideally, cut up the fat into small chunks (how small? anywhere from 1/4" cubes to 2" or 3" chunks).
  2. Or you can skip that and put the sheets of fat right into the crockpot or pan.
  3. If you skip this, it is possible the process will be longer, require more stirring, or less completely render.

  4. But it's all good. I read that women used to render big pieces of fat in big iron pots outside over a low fire, using big wooden paddles.

  5. On low, allow the fat to begin melting.
  6. As it melts, ladle it into waiting containers, through a strainer if necessary.
  7. Your containers can be mason jars, baking trays, muffin tins, or ice cube trays.
  8. Tip the pan as needed to fill the ladle.
  9. Gently stir the fat in the crock or pan to make sure all pieces are getting equal heat treatment.
  10. Repeat the ladling, stirring and heating until all the melted fat is released.
  11. If you have more fat, you can keep adding it as there is room.
  12. You'll know you're done when all that remains are “cracklings” — yummy, crunchy leftovers.
  13. Using a crockpot is more hands-off; just an occasional stir is all that is necessary in addition to the ladling off of melted fat.
  14. Using the stovetop requires that you be present and stir more — but the process is much faster.
  15. Either process can be smelly (like a deep frying smell), depending on the type of fat.
  16. Some people use their crockpots or electric roaster pans outside or on a porch to keep the smell out of the house.
  17. I found that this very clean goat fat was hardly smelly at all; much less than the tallow I've rendered.

Recipe Notes

For best results, keep rendered fat in cool storage or freezer. Use for: pastries, frying and deep-frying (like these tortillas chips), or soap.