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The birds in your neighborhood don't care if you spend $1 or $20 for the suet in the feeder. Here is the frugal way to make your own for next to nothing, plain or fancy! Why render the fat? A good question that will be answered if you keep reading...
Frugal is a good description for me when it comes to feeding the woodpeckers & other birds that stop by my suet feeders. They don't seem to care if my suet is plain or fancy, just that there is something in the feeder when they come by in the morning. I haven't always taken the time to render the suet, you can just stick the fat out in the feeder, but it spoils easier and drops things I don't want my dog eating, and if it hits the ground, Lucy will find it.
The hardest part of rendering may be finding the fat. As more stores go to precut meats, you are less likely to find a butcher in the back room. So the first step is to check around for a store that actually cuts their own meat. A smaller store might be just the place.
When you find a butcher, you can drop in and take a chance that there will be fat available, but I like to make a quick phone call. That way, he or she can make up a pile for me as time allows. My butcher isn't allowed to give me the fat, so I pay 10 cents a pound. One to two pounds is plenty for this learning process. (Prices may be higher during deer hunting seasons.)
When you get the beef fat home, stick it in the freezer while you gather the equipment. The fat cuts easier when it is hardened. You will need:
1. a good size skillet with lid
2. a large spoon
3. a butcher knife
4. a big bowl
5. a bread pan or cup cake tin. This is one time you don't have to grease or flour the pan.
6. metal strainer (optional)
7. waxed paper and a plastic storage bag
Get the fat out of the freezer, and with the butcher knife, cut it up. I slice it first like bread, then cut the slices up into smaller strips. It doesn't have to be perfect! Some people cut it even more, but I've not found that necessary, or I could just be lazy. Put the skillet on medium heat, and put the fat into the pan and put the lid on. While the fat is melting, stay close to the stove. If it starts spattering like bacon grease or smoking, turn the temperature down. Fat can catch fire, so be observant. I've heard that some people don't like the smell. Hmmm, it reminds me of cooking hamburgers in a skillet, to each his own. Maybe their fire was too hot?
As the fat melts, tip the pan so that the liquid gathers at one side. Use the large spoon to carefully drain out the fat, leaving the bits of meat, gristle or bone behind. If you would like to make it easier, put a metal strainer over the bowl. Spread the fat in the pan back out, and let it melt some more. When it looks like all of the fat has melted or you have enough for your project, take the pan off the heat and let it cool. The parts remaining in the pan should be thrown away. You now have a bowl of rendered fat for suet. Woo Hoo! Congratulations!
Time for a decision. Think about it while the fat cools, it will be hot! You can just pour the fat into the bread pan, cover it and stick it in the freezer or outside if it is cold. When it is firm, dump it out on wax paper and slice like bread. It helps to dip the pan in hot water, the fat should come out in one piece. It isn't the end of the world if it doesn't, jut pat it back together. The birds won't care! Put a piece of waxed paper between each slice, put in a plastic bag, close and store in the freezer. It lasts forever in the freezer. In the example, I've used cup cake tins because my bread pan is hiding today.
If you prefer, while the fat is still warm, you may add lots of goodies from your kitchen. Some suggestions are oatmeal, raisins soaked in a bit of water to plump them back up, unsalted chopped peanuts or shelled sunflower seeds.
I hope you will find this saves you lots of money for a little bit of your time. Birdie Bon Appetit!
For more information about feeding the birds and birdwatching, visit the forums on Dave's Garden!
About Cathy M Wallace
I'm rediscovering the joy of being in the garden, playing in the compost, remembering gardens from my childhood and dreaming of those to come. Physical challenges are helping me learn all about raised beds, lasagna gardening and new tools. In addition to our yard, my husband and I take care of several gardens at church. We love our family, friends, travel, writing & laughing.
Posted by Cazadero (from Cazadero, CA) on January 28, 2008 at 12:30 PM:
The bits of browned fat and meat are very tasty for you too! Sprinkle them them with a little salt and wait until they have cooled.
Be sure you use FRESH, "HUMAN-EDIBLE" fat if you plan to eat the crispies. (Probably better for the birds too.)
Just don't tell your cardiologist I told you!
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM:
Naughty, naughty!
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Subject: Bacon grease drippings
Posted by flowerette (from Gulf Coast, TX) on January 28, 2008 at 12:10 PM:
Cathy, Great article! I am wondering if bacon grease can be substituted for lard. Since we refrigerate our drippings to season our veggies, we usually have excess and am wondering what would our feathered friends think of this offering? Considering the salt content, this might not be a good idea as I have read to use peanut butter without salt in making the suet. Any comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 28, 2008 at 12:16 PM:
Flowerette, salt isn't good for birds, and store-bought bacon usually has lots of other chemicals in it as preservatives. I'm not an expert, but I wouldn't use it. Thanks for the question!
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Posted by phkat (from Lewiston, ID) on January 28, 2008 at 5:37 PM:
Well, my birdies love the blocks I make out of bacon grease. I mix bacon grease with some corn meal. There's about a foot and a half of snow out there and that bird block hanging from my little tree has at least 20 various birdies out there all day long. I save the mesh from my store bought turkeys to hold the shaped mixture. That way they can get at it easily but still give it something to hang from. I figure they'd rather be eating too much salt in the bacon grease than starve. (I don't mean that in a mean way!)
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Posted by flowerette (from Gulf Coast, TX) on February 7, 2008 at 1:44 AM:
Phkat,
The bacon drippings can't be any worse than the air pollution they have to breathe here because of chemical plants. The American finches have been arriving here for the past 4 years, and I have fed them only sunflower and niger seeds. Each year they have really increased in number. Great idea in using the mesh. Have fed them three 25 lb. sacks of niger already. The little rascals love every grain. Will feed them as long as it takes and forward them to you when they begin leaving probably the end of the month:) That is -- if the finches visit your area? They may not eat the suet here but have just attracted a pair of cardinals who will probably consider it a big treat.
Carol
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Subject: Fat is fat
Posted by golfish (from Bloomfield, IA) on January 28, 2008 at 10:40 AM:
Around here the deer have layers of fat. So, during season, my wife puts up chunks of deer suet.
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 28, 2008 at 12:17 PM:
It is wonderful that you use all of the deer, I'll mention this to my son-in-law.
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Subject: Here's a Better Way
Posted by Dotsy1 (from Steamboat Springs, CO) on January 28, 2008 at 10:01 AM:
I used to render lard that way until I used the microwave and found it was faster, cleaner and didn't stink up the house!
Just put the fat and meat in a deep microwave-proof glass container with a lid. I have a deep Corning Ware ceramic 3 quart bowl with a glass lid that is perfect. They're available at WalMart and you'll find a million other uses for it.
Set the power on HIGH and in minutes you'll have clear hot fat with bits of crispy leftovers. You can throw those away or chop them up and mix in once they cool.
Birds love peanut butter and the really cheap stuff in big plastic jars (keep the empty for nuts, candy, etc.) is great to mix in. I also buy bulk oats, corn meal, and flour to mix in as well as crushed breakfast ceral. The mix-ins can be anything in the back of the pantry that can be crushed or broken up in a blender or food processor.
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 28, 2008 at 12:17 PM:
Thanks for this information, I'll try it next time!
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Subject: Was that a Piggy or Figgy Pudding?
Posted by clbrown1952 (from Boerne, TX) on January 27, 2008 at 5:46 PM:
Thanks, Cathy, for your lovely article! I've just moved to a small town where we actually have a "meat" shop and I bet I can get suet there. I have also seen people take the cooled mixture of rendered suet, rub it on a piece of drift wood or branch, press seeds into the fat, and hang the branch to act as a "feeder".
CB
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 27, 2008 at 7:19 PM:
CB, thank you!
This message was edited Jan 27, 2008 5:20 PM
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 27, 2008 at 7:19 PM:
CB, here is an article with recipes using the suet [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
Pine Cones can be dipped in the suet when it is still soft, and then rolled in seed, too. Thanks!
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Subject: Nicely done!
Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on January 26, 2008 at 10:21 AM:
You did a good job of Show & Tell for those who have never rendered fat. Thanks. I just started rendering fat for the birds this year since there's a packing house several miles away.
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Subject: a very clear article
Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on January 26, 2008 at 7:28 AM:
Very nicely written and very clear instructions. Thanks.
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Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on January 26, 2008 at 8:36 AM:
Great article and very clear, concise directions. Good job! Thanks for sharing the info.
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on January 26, 2008 at 9:38 AM:
We love making our own suet and your step by step directions were great !
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Posted by standinntherain (from Liberty, WV) on January 26, 2008 at 11:59 AM:
Yay! Thanks for the pics too. =) Very nice article!
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 26, 2008 at 12:10 PM:
Thank you all very much. I forget to write that the home made suet seems to last longer, it is usually firmer than the store bought.
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Posted by darlindeb (from Claremore, OK) on January 27, 2008 at 1:17 AM:
Thank you. I was wondering about how to make suet. I guess the fat off a beef brisket would work?
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 27, 2008 at 11:05 AM:
That is a really good question. Why not try and let us all know? Thanks!
