Gribenes - do they keep well refrigerated?

[AdinaA]

Can I make gribenes, shove them (it?) in the fridge, and serve a week later (in the sukkah)?

[gotcholent]

If prepared properly so that there is no longer any moisture in the skins, they should hold even outside of refrigeration, like pork rinds or proper cracklings. I remember them always being in a small bowl over Oma's stove top. My favorite use was as a stuffing within kneidlach (matzah balls), at least until we found out my father had high cholesterol....d'oh!!! These days, we have so many dishes on our menu that require us to de-skin chickens that I have taken to turning the leftover skins into what we call "Cowboy Gribenez" by laying them out on baking pans and popping them in the oven at 350. Halfway through we sprinkle our bbq rub over the tops and let them finish off. The sugar based rub basically creme brulee's over the top as the skins finish off. They hold in a fridge for at least a week.

[bagelman01]

Tonight I grilled boneless marinated turkey thighs on the wood fired grill. I got all the nice turkey skin crackins (which I removed before carving the thighs to serve with dinner salads to the family.

[bagelman01]

We have always frozen them, they keep for many months. I make schmaltz for Pesach and put away enough gribenes to last until about Chanukah.

My father Z"L used to love to sit in front of the TV and eat them from a bowl like popcorn.

[AdinaA]

Do you simply thaw them to room temp. Or warm them?

Your Dad must have had enviable metabolism.

[bagelman01]

simply thaw to room temp for snacking, or to mix in hot mashed potatoes...................

room temp gribenes in a zip lock bag was often a Pesach lunch staple for chol hamoed (I went to public school and only could take off actual yunftif).

B"H we have very good hearts. I'm 58 BP of 114 over 64, low to normal Cholesterol and perfect triglycerides. As my doctor says, i eat a lot, but it's perfectly balanced. Nothing has to be denied, just show moderation.

[AdinaA]

Thanks. In intend to try it as a salad topper. Like, you know what. I've been saving up frozen skins.

You and Julia Child, two great cooks who believed in eating butter, gribenes, and all good things in moderation. Except, she probably ate butter and gribenes at the same meal.

[bagelman01]

Adina,

Last Sunday we had the annual meeting of our Family Foundation (also the burial society). It was founded in 1919, but My Great Great Grandfather for whom it was named arrived in the USA from Suwalki, Eastern Europe in 1872.

Tracing 8 generations in the USA (over 1200 known direct descendants) but including 22 members or married-ins born in Europe, the average life expectancy was about 78 years over 150 yeaqs time. If we look at only those American born starting in 1878 the life average is 86 years old.

The family eats (and has eaten) a traditional Jewish Eastern European (adapted to America) diet. There have been a few vegetarians, but most eat red meat.

Most family members were overweight through their 50s and slimmed down between 55 and 80, many lived to be between 95 and 105 years of age.

All ate most of the above talked about foods, but in moderation. Specialties such as gribenes and petcha, brisket, flanken, etc were saved for yuntif and special occasions.

No early age heart disease or diabetes, just old age onset duabetes (over age 80) or post age 75 mild heart disease is known to have been found in the family.

Lots of doctors and genetic scientists in a few of the family branches and they used the family medical history for research including a PHd disertation on diet and nutrition.

Denial doesn't work, it makes one cheat and binge.

BTW, my dad died young, he was only 87. He gave up on living after an accident on a cruise ship at age 86 left him bed-ridden. Mom is 90 this coming Sunday. I remember grandparents in their 90s and great grandparents as well.

For my grandfather's 95th birthday dinner, my grandmother made him (and the rest of us) Roast Goose. She made goose gribenes that were used in the mashed potatoes. Grandma was not an immigrant, she was born on the North Fork of Long Island in the early 1890s.

And, as I ramble on....Like Julia Child (who also lived a long life) I do use butter. It's the artificial ingredients and chemicals that will kill you..

I'd much rather chance a little bit of schmaltz on that piece of rye bread than the mono and poly unstaurated fats in that vile tasting pareve margarine, when making a chopped liver sandwich.

[AdinaA]

Ad meah v'esrim. and Shabbat Shalom.

[rockycat]

Good question. They never last more than a few minutes in my house.

I would think that, if refrigerated, the gribenes would get soggy and lose that fresh hot-out-of-the-schmaltz appeal. I think they would still be safe to eat, though. Maybe you could try freshening them up in a skillet first to restore some of the crispness.

[AdinaA]

Same here. I've only made them a few times, and they were consumed instantly.