One time on Usenet, Wayne Boatwright > said:
> On Tue 27 Sep 2005 11:35:09a, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>
> Cosmetic surgical transplant? :-)

Heh!

> Uh, actually, if you render it, the fat makes a very good seasoning in many
> dishes. Also known as schmaltz.

I recognize the words you're using, but I wasn't sure about the
rendering process, so I did some checking at Epicurious.com:

schmaltz
[SHMAHLTZ, SHMOHLTZ]
A rendered chicken fat (sometimes flavored with onions, apples and
seasonings) that is strained and used in many dishes of Middle European
Jewish origin much like butter -- both in cooking and as a spread for
bread.

render
To melt animal fat over low heat so that it separates from any
connective pieces of tissue, which, during rendering, turn brown and
crisp and are generally referred to as CRACKLINGS. The resulting clear
fat is then strained through a paper filter or fine CHEESECLOTH to
remove any dark particles. The term try out is used synonymously with
render .

cracklings
Delicious, crunchy pieces of either pork or poultry fat after it has
been RENDERED, or the crisp, brown skin of fried or roasted pork.
Cracklings are sold packaged in some supermarkets and specialty markets.
"Cracklin' bread" is cornbread with bits of cracklings scattered
throughout.

Oh my, it all sounds so yummy and so bad for my cholesterol... ;-)


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, FRPG Gamer, novice cook ~