Schmaltz

Schmaltz(also spelledschmalzorshmalz) isrendered (clarified)chickenorgoosefat. It is an integral part of traditionalAshkenazi Jewish cuisine, where it has been used for centuries in a wide array of dishes, such aschicken soup,latkes,matzah brei,chopped liver,matzah balls,fried chicken, and many others, as a cooking fat, spread, orflavor enhancer.
Schmaltzis a noun derived from the German verbschmelzen, meaning "to melt". The verb can be traced back to the West Germanic root*smeltan, which survives in the Modern English verbsmelt. The term entered English usage throughYiddish-speakingAshkenazi Jewswho usedschmaltzto refer to kosher poultry fat; the Yiddish wordשמאַלץshmaltsrefers to renderedchicken fat.The English termschmaltzisderived fromYiddish and is cognate with theGermantermSchmalz, which can refer to any rendered fat of animal origin, includinglard(more preciselySchweineschmalz) andclarified butter(Butterschmalz); though according to German law,Schmalzmust exclusively refer to a lard-based product in a commercial context. English use tends to follow Yiddish, which limits the meaning ofschmaltzto rendered poultry fat.
Historically, chicken and to a lesser extent other poultry have been the most popular meat in AshkenaziJewish cuisinedue torestrictions on Jewswho often were not allowed to own land in Europe, and thereby were not able to tend to any livestock requiring pasture. Among kosher domestic animals, only chickens and other fowl could be raised without pasturage. Schmaltz originated in the Jewish communities of north,west, andcentralEurope as it was an economical replacement forolive oilthat typically was not available in these areas. Olive oil previously had an important role inJewish culture. It had been used by the ancestors of the Ashkenazi Jews in theirAncient Israelite cuisineprior to the forcedexile of JewsfromRoman Israel, and it remained popular inSephardicandMizrahicuisines.
As olive oil and other vegetable oils (e.g.sesame oil, which Jews had used in Mesopotamia) were unavailable in northwestern Europe, Ashkenazi Jews turned to animal sources, like their Gentile neighbors. However,kashrutprohibited Jews from using the most common cooking fats in northern Europe, namelybutterandlard. Butter, being derived from milk, cannot be used with meat under the Jewish prohibition onmixing meat and dairy, while lard is derived from pork, a meat not considered kosher. Furthermore, even among the less common fats available,tallowderived from beef or mutton would have been uneconomical, particularly given that virtually allsuet(the raw material for tallow) ischelevand its consumption is forbidden.Thus Ashkenazi Jews turned to poultry fat as their cooking fat of choice. This fat, which they calledschmaltz, became the most popular cooking fat used in theshtetls(Jewish villages) of central and eastern Europe. It was commonly used in a multitude of dishes served with, or containing, meat in accordance withkosher dietary laws.
At the turn of the twentieth century, as the Ashkenazi Jews fled escalatingantisemitismandpersecution in Europeand sought refuge in theUnited Statesand other countries, they brought with them their traditional foods, including schmaltz. It remained popular inAmerican Jewish cuisineuntil it fell out of common use over the course of the second half of the century due to the inconvenience involved in its preparation, health concerns regarding its saturated fat content, various diet trends, and aggressive marketing byCriscoof their vegetable shortening (which ispareve, i.e. suitable for use with both milk and meat dishes) to theJewish community of New York.
Over time, schmaltz was replaced with what often werevegetarianalternatives that were perceived to be healthier, such as the aforementionedvegetable shortening, then readily available olive oil, andmargarine. Despite this, schmaltz remained in common use atJewish delicatessensand Jewish restaurants as well as among those in theHaredi community.
Beginning in the twenty-first century, however, schmaltz regained much of its former popularity as variouscelebrity chefssuch asAnthony Bourdain,Alon Shaya,Michael Solomonov,Joan Nathan,and others began to incorporate it into various dishes and recipes as part of emerging food trends popularizing long-forgottenJewish foods. Schmaltz also began being used in various non-traditional ways, such ascornbread,chicken pot pie, and other foods as a flavor enhancer.
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 asgribenes.
Another simple method is as a by-product of the making of poultry soup, stock, or broth. After the chicken is simmered in the pot or crock-pot, the broth is chilled so the fat rises to the top. Then the fat can be skimmed off, at once providing schmaltz to set aside for other uses and a lower-fat broth that is heated before serving.
Schmaltz typically has a strong aroma, and therefore, often is used for hearty recipes such as stews or roasts. It is a key ingredient in Jewish soups such aschicken soup, as well as inmatzo ball soupand somecholent. Sometimes it is used as a bread spread, where it may be salted. Generally, this is consumed onJewish ryeorchallahbreads. It may be used to prepare foods served as part offleishig(meat) meals such aslatkes,matzah brei, orpotato kugel, or instead of butter when pan-frying potatoes, onions, or other foods.
Various vegetarian (and consequentlypareve) versions of schmaltz have been marketed, starting with Nyafat (U.S., Rokeach and Sons, 1924), which is largelycoconut oilwith some onion flavoring and color.Vegetable shorteningalso is used as a substitute.
Vegetarian schmaltz was manufactured in South Africa from July 1951 under the brand Debra's Schmalz, with Debra referring to Debora Bregman, who founded Debras Manufacturers. Production began in Debora's kitchen at her home in Norwood before moving to a dedicated manufacturing facility and office. The slogan "Even the chicken can't tell the difference" was added soon after production began. Debra's Schmalz was eventually distributed across Southern Africa. The business was sold by the Bregman family in 1976, and Debra's Schmalz continued to be manufactured and distributed. Chef Oded Schwartz discusses Debra's Schmalz in his bookIn Search of Plenty — A History of Jewish Food.