S'mee in WA
If you're gonna call rendered chicken fat "schmaltz" then you gotta call the resultant "cracklins" *gribbines*.
Gribbenes are cracklings; the crisp bits of poultry skin and browned onion left from rendering "schmaltz" (chicken or other poultry fat; the clbuttic is goose fat).
Whenever you prepare chickens, pull off as much of the fat as possible and trim the skin (such as at the cavity opening and the neck). Save them in a bag or container in the freezer. When you've accumulated a "critical mbutt" (at least a 1-2 pound; more is better), remove from the freezer. I've found it is easier to handle when still frozen. I take a serrated-edge knife and start shaving it down into little bits.
Finely dice onions; the more the better. I use about one large onion for each 1-2 lb of fat. Put the onion and cut-up fat in a pan and place on *low* heat. You're interested in *melting* the fat. Continue frying until the onions are dark golden-brown and the skin is entirely crisped. Turn off the heat and allow to cool (the onions will continue browning because of the high temperature of the schmaltz).
Dutch cookingI'm watching a really neat show "Loving Spoonful" about Dutch cooking but the guest insists that Dutch cooking is very bland. Is that so? DH's dad (GRHS) came...
Once it is cooled to close to room temperature, you have the choice of transferring all to another container to set -- schmaltz, onions, gribbenes and all -- or straining the schmaltz through a fine sieve and enjoying the onions and gribbenes separately.
Sheldon
