The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-03
Department of Agriculture
Shows How to Effect Econ
omy in Home.
HOW TO CLARITY SCRAPS
Much Thrown Away by Most
Housewives Can Easily
Be Saved.

Flavor and color have an important
bearing on the prices which must be
paid for the various edible fats used
in the home, since all are regarded
as wholesome when of good quality
and practically the same amount Of
energy is derived by the body from
each,
The housekeeper therefore must de-
eide usually what she is willing to
pay for relatively superficial prop
critics in the foods. These facts are
pointed out in a recent paper OF the
United States Department of Agri-
culture. prepared by the office of
home economics Of the Department
In discussing the selection of fats
the bulletin says:
In some instances, where taste or
flavor only is involved. a less expen-
sive table fat may answer quite salts
factorily the purpose of a more eN-
pensive one. For example, the chief
use of table oils is in salad dressings,
when a characteristic flavor is not
especially desired. good cottonseed
and peanut oils, having a bland favor,
may be used as being less expensive
than olive oil.
In selecting shortening fats favor
and odor are to be considered, but at
tractive appearance and color are of
less Importance. Other qualities be
ing equal, those culinary fats are
more economical and desirable which
possess the best keeping quality; that
is, the least tendency to become
rancid.
Fats used in frying should be care
1iay selected, since they influence the
or, appearance, and texture Of the
foods cooked in them Preference
should be given to a fat which does
not scorch too readily. Butter and lard
scroch at a lower temperature than
beef or mutton fats and cottonseed,
peanut, or cocoanut oils. For this rea-
son, therefore, the latter fats are pre-
ferable for deep frying, which requires
high temperature.
Economical Use of Fat.
1t is a waste to use more fat than
q good recipe calls for. 1t is more
economical to stir butter into cooked
vegetables just before they are served
rather than while cooking, and the
flavor thus impaired is more pro-
nounced. Furthermore. IL added before
cooking much of the butter is lost I'M
less the water in which the vegetables
are boiled is served with them In
stead Of adding butter to vegetables
many people cook fat ham. bacon, or
salt pork with them and relish the
characteristic favor.
Much fat may be saved by home
rendering Of the trimmings from fat
meat. The following method of rem
dering fats may be applied in the
home. The fat is cut finely with an
ordinary household meat chopper or
sausage grinder, and is then heated in
in double boiler until completely melt
cd. The melted fat is then strained
through a rather thick cloth medium
fine huckaback, for .instance) to re-
move the finely divided bits of tissue.
The advantage of this method is that
since the material to be rendered Is
finely divided the fat separates read,
fly from the inclosing tissue at tenn
perature very little above its melting
point, and there is no danger of
scorching it as in the older open-kettle
method.
Saving Fats In the Home
After the fat is rendered It must
usually be clarified. Melt the fat with
at least an equal volume of water and
heat for a short time at moderate
temperature, with occasional stirring.
Let the mixture cool, remove the layer
of fat, and scrape off any bits of meat
and other material which may adhere
to the under side.
Rendering or clarifying fat with
milk gives quite satisfactory results in
modifying odors and fiavers. To two
pounds of fat (finely chopped II un-
rendered) add one-half pint OF milk
preferably sour. Heat the mixture
in a double boiler until rendered or
thoroughly melted. stir well, and
strain through fairly thick cloth.
when cold the fat forms a+hard, clean
LAYER. and any dark material adher-
ing to the under side of the fat may
be scraped Off Sour milk, being CO.
aEulated, is preferable to sweet milk.
since the curds remain on the cloth
through which the rendered mixture
is strained and is thus more easily
separated from the rendered fat which
has acquired some of the milk flavor
and butter fat.
Undesirable odors and flavors can be
decreased or removed by heating the
fats with a good grade OF charcoal.
To each pound of chopped, unrendered
fat, add twelve pieces of clean, hard
wood charcoal, about the size of a
walnut, and render the fat in A double
boiler, as described above Allow the
charcoal to remain in the melted fat
for about two hours and stir the mix
ture occasionally. 1t is necessary to
strain the fat through flannel or other
IL Ill . a
fine particles of charcoal. Rancid
odors, IL not too pronounced. may be
satisfactorily removed by this meth
cd. If the odor is very pronounced
more charcoal is needed, and the mix
ture requires longer heating.