Hard Soap

Ingredients

• Remove cover from can of Red Seal lye
• Add three ounces of powdered borax
• three and one-half pints cold water
• melt five and one-half pounds of strained grease, lard or tallow
• add one-half pint of water

Method

1. 1

   Empty lye into a stone crock or porcelain vessel.

2. 2

   Stir in borax and cold water until dissolved.

3. 3

   Cool to lukewarm.

4. 4

   Melt grease in another vessel, then slowly pour in lye solution while stirring until mixed.

5. 5

   Pour into a mould lined with heavy paper and let cool in a warm room.

6. 6

   After 24 hours, cut into blocks.

7. 7

   If it separates, reheat with added water until combined.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Trinity cook book (1925) by Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Roanoke, Va.), page 56. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

HARD SOAP Remove cover from can of Red Seal lye, cut out sifting top and empty contents into a stone crock or porcelain vessel. Add three ounces of powdered borax and three and one-half pints cold water; stir until all is dissolved, and allow solution to cool until it is lukewarm. In another vessel (porcelain) melt five and one-half pounds of strained grease, lard or tallow, after it has cooled to temperature of lye solution, pour the latter slowly into the melted grease (never pour grease into the lye) and keep stirring until it is well and evenly mixed. Pour into a suitable mould, lined with heavy paper, allowing it to cool in a warm room. After standing twenty-four hours cut in blocks. If it separates put all back into kettle, add one-half pint of water

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.