Chicken leg quarters have been on sale recently and the kids love them so we’ve been having them quite a bit lately. I usually just alt and pepper them and put them in a baking dish until the meat is cooked and the skin is nice and crispy.
At the end of this process I usually have about a cup of chicken fat in the bottom of the pan. I understand this is called schmaltz – correct? What can I do with it? So far I’ve just been throwing it out.
Any suggestions?
Traditionally it’s used for frying or as a spread after rendering.
Too bad about throwing it out, it’s tasty stuff.
You can go with the traditional Jewish uses: matzo balls or chopped liver.
Or use it as the fat when you fry or scramble eggs.
You can use it for pan-frying potatoes, or to saute greens, or to brown the vegetables when you make a stew or risotto.
I happen to have a bunch of duck fat on my hands and used it when sauteeing the vegetables for jambalaya.
Make gravy. Heat a couple of heaping tablespoons of your chicken fat with the same amount of flour. Cook and stir a few minutes until it’s really bubbly and just starts to brown. Add chicken broth from a can or carton (1 1/2 to 2 cups) and stir constantly until it is thick and almost simmering. Season with s & p to taste.
Spoon over almost anything (mashed potatoes, noodles, chicken breast cutlets, biscuits, veggies, rice . . . )
Freeze the fat for future gravies and frying. It can be your secret stash of flavor.
I like this idea! - Gravy (drool)
It’s great just spread on a slice of bread, with a pinch of salt.
Use it to panfry potatoes and onions. Use it in place of butter, unless you’re making pastry.