Schmaltz

Schmaltz is a Yiddish term from the German word Schmalz (pronounced roughly the same), which comes from the word schmelzen , to melt. Schmaltz is rendered animal fat used for food. Schmaltz may be used for frying or spread on bread. It is substituted where ever butter would be used when cooking meat dishes. It is usually made from rendered chicken fat, and also kosher . Schmaltz is slang for money in the Montreal Jewish community. German Schmalz is generally rendered pig or goose fat. Fat from cows is called Talg ( Tallow ) and has a somewhat higher melting point than Schmalz derived from poultry or pigs. Manufacture involves cutting the fatty tissues of the animal to small pieces,melting the fat, and collecting the drippings. Schmalz may be prepared by a dry process where the pieces are cooked under low heat and stirred, gradually yielding their fat. A wet process also exists whereby the fat is melted by direct steam injection. Afterward, the Schmalz is filtered and clarified. To produce your own Schmalz , cut unsmoked pork belly or goose fat into small pieces, and melt in a pan by moderate heat. After the majority of the fat has been extracted, strain the melted fat through a cheesecloth into a storage container. Since the rendering process removes extranious water and proteins from the fat, Schmalz will not spoil easily. It can even be used to preserve cooked meats if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry location. Schweineschmalz (pork schmalz , Lard ) is a pearl white color, and the melting point lies between 79°F and 104°F (26-40°C). Flomenschmalz is made out of pork belly fat ( Flomen ), and has a smoother, lighter texture. Griebenschmalz (called Grammelschmalz in Austria) is made from Flomen or back fat, and still contains pieces of cooked bacon, called Grieben (or Grammel). It's often combined with chunks of apple or onion and spiced with marjoram or thyme . Because of these additional ingredients, Griebenschmalz spoils faster than the other types. Gänseschmalz (goose Schmalz ) is somewhat more yellowish than pork Schmalz . In its pure form it has a distinctive flavor, and a very low melting point of 77°F (25°C), which makes it almost liquid at room temperature. Gänseschmalz goes rancid easily and so should be used quickly. Schmalz often has a strong aroma, and therefore is often used for hearty recipes such as stews or roasts. It also is somteimes used as a bread spread (Schmalzbrot), where it is sometimes also salted, and generally this is done on whole grain breads with a strong flavor of their own. Traditionally porcine Schmalz was sometimes used to improve the taste and texture of cakes and pie crusts. Clarified butter is sometimes called Butterschmalz in German.

Gaenseschmalz (goose schmaltz) Schmaltz or schmalz is rendered chicken or goose fat used for frying or as a spread on bread, especially in German and Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine . Schmaltz and Schmalz are also common last names amongst Ashkenazi Jewish people of German and Austrian descent as it is meant to imply that the bearer has enough wealth to regularly purchase schmaltz. Schmaltz rendered from a chicken or goose is popular in Jewish cuisine ; it was used by Northwestern and Eastern European Jews who were forbidden by kashrut (Jewish dietary laws ) to fry their meats in butter or lard , the common forms of cooking fat in Europe ( Leviticus 7:23), and who could not obtain the kinds of cooking oils, such as olive oil and sesame oil , that they had used in the Middle East and around the Mediterranean (as in Spain and Italy ); the overfeeding of geese to produce more fat per bird produced postclassical Europe's first foie gras as a side effect. The manufacture of schmaltz involves cutting the fatty tissues of a bird (chicken or goose) into small pieces, melting the fat, and collecting the drippings. Schmaltz may be prepared by a dry process where the pieces are cooked under low heat and stirred, gradually yielding their fat. A wet process also exists whereby the fat is melted by direct steam injection. The rendered schmaltz is then filtered and clarified. Homemade Jewish-style schmaltz is made by cutting chicken or goose fat into small pieces and melting in a pan over low-to-moderate heat, generally with onions. After the majority of the fat has been extracted, the melted fat is strained through a cheesecloth into a storage container. The remaining dark brown, crispy bits of skin and onion are known in Yiddish as gribenes . Dictionary of American Family Names .

Schmaltz (also spelled schmalz or shmalz ) is rendered (clarified) chicken or goose fat used for frying or as a spread on bread in German , Austrian , Polish , and Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine . The English term "schmaltz" is derived from Yiddish , and is cognate with the German term Schmalz , meaning "rendered animal fat", regardless of source—both tallow and lard are considered forms of Schmalz in German, as is clarified butter . However, English usage tends to follow Yiddish, limiting its definition to fat rendered from domestic fowl. List of English words of Yiddish origin See entry schmaltz in this list schmaltz = sugary sentimentality (chicken fat) Writing Skills for Public Relations: Style and Technique for Mainstream and Social Media (PR In Practice) eBook John Foster Michael Ruhlman, Donna Turner Ruhlman The Book of Schmaltz: Lovesong to a Forgotten Fat

Cooking fat This article is about cooking fat. Schmaltz (also spelled schmalz or shmalz ) is rendered (clarified) chicken or goose fat . It is an integral part of traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine , where it has been used for centuries in a wide array of dishes, such as chicken soup , latkes , matzah brei , chopped liver , matzah balls , fried chicken , and many others, either as a cooking fat, spread, or flavor enhancer . The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food . The Book of Schmaltz .

Rendered poultry fat This article is about cooking fat. Other constituents Quantity Cholesterol 85 mg Fat percentage can vary. Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. Schmaltz (also spelled schmalz or shmalz ) is rendered (clarified) chicken or goose fat . It is an integral part of traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine , where it has been used for centuries in a wide array of dishes, such as chicken soup , latkes , matzah brei , chopped liver , matzah balls , fried chicken , and many others, as a cooking fat, spread, or flavor enhancer . The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food . The Book of Schmaltz .