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Schmaltz is the Yiddish word for rendered chicken (or sometimes goose) fat, derived from the German word for melting. Because of kosher laws, Eastern European Jews couldn’t cook with lard or butter, the typical cooking fats of the region. Nor did they have access to the olive oil and other vegetable oils used in more southern climates. So they turned to chicken fat, an economical and available option that converts a by-product into a golden elixir. Chicken fat adds depth and richness to dishes while remaining somewhat neutral and not over-the-top meaty. It’s great for frying potatoes and for searing meat for stews. Perhaps the best application is the simplest: slathered on good bread with salt.
Schmaltz is often sold in little tubs in the grocery store, but it appears for free in your kitchen in the form of the solidified fat that rises to the top of your chicken soup. Just scrape it off and store it in the refrigerator or freezer to use whenever.
Schmaltz is very easy to make with raw chicken skins, which many butchers will sell, or even give, to you. The fattier the skin, the better, so thighs work particularly well here. Finely chop the skins and place them in a saucepan with a splash of water and some chopped onion if you like. Cook over low heat until the fat is completely rendered and the skin and onion turn deep golden brown, an hour or so. Strain the schmaltz and refrigerate. The crispy bits of skin and fried onion that are left behind are called gribenes. Seasoned with salt, they are a delicacy in their own right, best when sprinkled over a salad or on top of a piece of buttered (or schmaltzed) bread.