uses for random pieces of beef fat

[Danimal]

I have maybe a pound of beef fat in my freezer that I cut from steaks and chuck roasts. I've been saving it with the expectation that it is good for something. The plan was to grind up a round roast when its on sale and throw in that fat, but I don't know if its that great of an idea, and round roasts haven't been on sale. So what can I use it for?

[howboy]

My nana made some Greman recipes that used beef fat to make a roux....it was called something like and ironbrun (sp?)...in particular I remember her using it in a wierd, but delicious green bean recipe....

[masha]

A follow-up question: I'm making a Yorkshire Pudding this year with a recipe (Joy of Cooking) that calls for 1/4 cup of rendered suet. Anyone have an estimate of the volume (or weight) of solid suet I need to start with to end up with 1/4 cup liquid?

[Danimal]

Thanks for the tips. I chopped up the fat and rendered what i could and used that for refried beans. The browned pieces of fat looked pretty good, so I saved them added them to stir-fried tofu. YUM. It was the only tofu that I have ever liked.

[kobetobiko]

The beef fat is good for cooking fried rice with garlic, and egg. That's what they do when after they grill the beef in teppanyaki. You can also add some scallion or shiso (if you like shiso). Now that you have the cracklings may as well include them in the fried rice!

[CindyJ]

I'll agree with the birdseed idea. Hang it within view of a window. It'll be a treat for the birds, and provide entertainment for everyone in your household.

[Sam Fujisaka]

Cubed small in beans.

[Barry Foy]

The ground beef sold by the "natural"-type grocery store where I do most of my shopping is so ridiculously lean (something they crow about on the label, of course) that it has almost no taste at all. If I had some beef fat in my freezer, I'd grind it up and add it to this hamburger to give it some flavor.

[pepper_mil]

Render it and use it to make the best french fries ever - cut them thick, fry them in the beef fat at a lower temp til cooked through, then rest the (pale and limp) fries and increase the heat. Fry at a higher heat til crispy, then salt and eat.

[soypower]

i second this recommendation...french fries were originally fried in horse fat giving them a nice crispy, flavorful crust, but since that is not readily available, beef fat is the next best thing...i believe dairy queen was one of the last hold-outs using this method of frying, but i'm sure the transfat police have stopped all that.

[Euonymous]

There is very little trans fat in beef, pork, or horse fat. Lots of saturated fat, but that's another fish to fry.

Trans fats are primarily found in hydrogenated vegetable oils.

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003...

[Euonymous]

If you live in a cold climate here's an idea. Warm it up a bit, stuff it into the crevaces of a big pinecone, roll it in birdseed, and hang it on a tree limb. The birds will love it.

[Bat Guano]

Beef fat, aka suet, is just what you need for traditional steamed Christmas plum pudding, if you feel like making one of those.

[digkv]

At this yakiniku restaurant I eat at often they give us cubes of beef fat for greasing the grill. It adds a nice beefy flavor and greases really well. I'd recommend you do something like that: use it in place of oil in some recipes to add nice beefiness and to clog your arteries.

[chef chicklet]

Gosh what a great idea, why didn't I think of that! Having recently bought popover baking pans, the plan is to make popovers and yorkshire pudding. I understand that the fat is used in the recipe adding a really rich flavor that just can't be duplicated with anything else but beef fat. I also think that it, like chicken fat or bacon fat is a wonderful little secret flavor enhancement to add to gravies, pie crust, or whatever your cooking. You know that stuff was used out on the range when the cowhands were herding and cattle. A "Cookie" when needing extra fat and or flavor, could not just turn around and open a can of Crisco...thanks for the reminder!