Refrigeration. To prevent deterioration,
all fats and foods high in fat should be re¬
frigerated at 50° F. or below. Possible ex¬
ceptions to this general rule are the hydro¬
genated and stabilized fats and oils. Fats
are of better consistency and the table fats
have better flavor if stored at not too low a
temperature.
Some of the oils solidify in the refrigerator.
This does not impair their quality in any way,
but they may be used more conveniently if
removed from the refrigerator in time to
allow them to liquefy. *
Practical Points on Care. In general, fats
should be covered closely to keep out light
and air and to prevent the absorption of
odors, then stored in the container or pack¬
age in which they were purchased.
For best keeping, meat drippings, kitchen-
rendered fat from fat meats and trimmings,
and fats which have been used for frying
should be brought to a low moisture content
and strained through cloth to remove any
food particles before storing. Store these
left-over fats as carefully as any of the com¬
mercial fats, since they are valuable in many
ways in food preparation.
When fish, onions, or other strong-flavored
foods have been fried in deep fat, slices of
potato may be cooked in the fat to remove
these flavors.
In using a solid fat from a large container
it is better to remove it evenly from the top,
rather than to dig down in the center or at
the sides. This latter method exposes more
surface to the air than when the top is taken
off evenly. For this reason, a tall, narrow
container is better than a short wide one.
Kitchen-rendering. The consumer should
make sure she receives all the fat trimmings
she pays for with her meat cuts. These trim¬
mings from uncooked meat should be kept
covered in the refrigerator until it is time to
render them. For rendering, trim all lean
from the fat and chop the fat fine or grind it.
Render by heating slowly in a double boiler
on top of the range or in a slow oven (200°
to 250° F.). Strain and store as other fats for
use in cooking.
Save the pieces which are strained out.
These are called "cracklings” and may be
used in muffins or corn bread.
Cured pork rinds may be rendered with¬
out grinding.
USES IN FOOD PREPARATION
Fats and oils have wide use in food prepa¬
ration. The principal uses are these: (1) to
add richness and flavor to foods, (2) to cook
or fry foods, and (3) for shortening flour mix¬
tures. Fats also are used for greasing pans to
prevent foods from sticking during cooking.
Though some fats serve more than one of
these purposes no single fat is equally suitable
for all uses.
For Flavor. Flavor is of first consideration
when fats or oils are used as a spread for
bread, as an ingredient of salad dressings, or
as seasoning for vegetables. Choosing from
among the different kinds of fats, however, is
largely a matter of personal taste, customary
food habits, cost, and availability.
As spreads, butter and margarine are the
fats most commonly used. For salads, olive
oil, with its characteristic flavor, and cotton¬
seed oil, corn oil, and peanut oil, with their
bland flavor, are those most preferred. In
certain salad dressings, butter, margarine, or
bacon fat may be used.
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Page 135
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Refrigeration. To prevent deterioration, all fats and foods high in fat should be re¬ frigerated at 50° F. or below. Possible ex¬ ceptions to this general rule are the hydro¬ genated and stabilized fats and oils. Fats are of better consistency and the table fats have better flavor if stored at not too low a temperature.
Some of the oils solidify in the refrigerator. This does not impair their quality in any way, but they may be used more conveniently if removed from the refrigerator in time to allow them to liquefy. *
Practical Points on Care. In general, fats should be covered closely to keep out light and air and to prevent the absorption of odors, then stored in the container or pack¬ age in which they were purchased.
For best keeping, meat drippings, kitchenrendered fat from fat meats and trimmings, and fats which have been used for frying should be brought to a low moisture content and strained through cloth to remove any food particles before storing. Store these left-over fats as carefully as any of the com¬ mercial fats, since they are valuable in many ways in food preparation.
When fish, onions, or other strong-flavored foods have been fried in deep fat, slices of potato may be cooked in the fat to remove these flavors.
In using a solid fat from a large container it is better to remove it evenly from the top, rather than to dig down in the center or at
the sides. This latter method exposes more surface to the air than when the top is taken off evenly. For this reason, a tall, narrow container is better than a short wide one.
Kitchen-rendering. The consumer should make sure she receives all the fat trimmings she pays for with her meat cuts. These trim¬ mings from uncooked meat should be kept covered in the refrigerator until it is time to render them. For rendering, trim all lean from the fat and chop the fat fine or grind it. Render by heating slowly in a double boiler on top of the range or in a slow oven (200° to 250° F.). Strain and store as other fats for use in cooking.
Save the pieces which are strained out. These are called "cracklings” and may be used in muffins or corn bread.
Cured pork rinds may be rendered with¬ out grinding.
USES IN FOOD PREPARATION
Fats and oils have wide use in food prepa¬ ration. The principal uses are these: (1) to add richness and flavor to foods, (2) to cook or fry foods, and (3) for shortening flour mix¬ tures. Fats also are used for greasing pans to prevent foods from sticking during cooking. Though some fats serve more than one of these purposes no single fat is equally suitable for all uses.
For Flavor. Flavor is of first consideration when fats or oils are used as a spread for bread, as an ingredient of salad dressings, or as seasoning for vegetables. Choosing from among the different kinds of fats, however, is largely a matter of personal taste, customary food habits, cost, and availability.
As spreads, butter and margarine are the fats most commonly used. For salads, olive oil, with its characteristic flavor, and cotton¬ seed oil, corn oil, and peanut oil, with their bland flavor, are those most preferred. In certain salad dressings, butter, margarine, or bacon fat may be used.
[145]