We have a box of suet in the fridge, and don't know what to do with it.

[arbusto_baboso]

Background: our roommate is back in England tending to her sick mother. She has no clue when she'll be returning. So, we have this half-used box of vegetable suet in the fridge. We can either toss it out soon, or use it sooner. Trouble is, neither me nor Mrs. Arbusto like to bake.

Suggestions?

[Bertha Venation]

1. read up on ways to put suet out for birds

although I don't know if they'd go for veg suet - but it's worth a try

[arbusto_baboso]

2. Isn't that more for birds during cold weather?

Right now, we're still getting the hummingbirds stopping by the nectar feeder, it's so warm.

[Bertha Venation]

3. Our birds eat it year-round.

But sure, the suet will keep until the cold returns. :)

[sarge43]

26. Birds can always use a high carb food source. Flying is labor intensive.

Those mesh laundry bags make a good suet container. If you have squirrels around and who doesn't, try to put the container where they can't get to it.

[Kali]

4. never heard it called suet

always thought suet was animal fat, is it labeled as shortening?

at any rate if it is for human consumption it will probably keep forever in the fridge, but you can always use it to fry things.

[arbusto_baboso]

6. It says "suet" on the box.

I don't know how it would differ from regular vegetable shortening, quite frankly.

[Kali]

10. then I say: french fries

or since your roomie is English - chips!

[arbusto_baboso]

11. Now that actually sounds like a plan.

That just leaves buying the potatoes...

[datasuspect]

5. spotted dick?

[arbusto_baboso]

7. C'mon, name calling is completely unnecessary!

:hi:

[The empressof all]

8. You can use it to make Mincemeat

I never put it in mine but it would add another dimension to the flavor.

[arbusto_baboso]

9. Normally, our roomie uses it for pie crusts.

But your idea is a sound one, too.

[Kali]

12. this got me curious enough to use the google

do you think your roomate imported it?

Seems it isn't quite the same as shortening but used the same. Interesting -thanks for allowing me to learn something new. (or damn you for making me waste more time on the internets ;) )

http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/suet (can't seem to copy/past off this page)


A solid looking white fat made from refined vegetable oil. Vegetable suet is a non-meat (vegetarian) version of beef suet. Popularity of the product increased during the 'mad cow disease' crisis in the UK. Vegetable suet can be substituted in any recipe that calls for regular suet but of course will provide a different flavor. The product is available, mostly in the UK as online UK stores in shredded regular or light (less fat). http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp?index=C&tid=2869

[Moondog]

13. This stuff sounds like glorified Crisco.

[Kali]

15. I think it's the other way around

crisco is artificial lard

[Moondog]

16. Isn't that what vegetable suet is?

[Kali]

22. ...

suet is rendered beef (and or mutton)fat, especially from around the kidneys
this vegetable suet is replacement for that
lard is rendered pork fat
crisco is vegetable shortening which seems to have been invented to replace butter, then became cheap with the industrialization of food production.

to make it more confusing they all are considered shortening, as are butter and margarine.


"shortening works by inhibiting the formation of long protein (gluten) strands in wheat-based doughs." -Wiki

[DeepBlueC]

24. vegetable suet sounds to me like hydrogenated oil

If it solid and vegetable, it is hydrogenated. So I think it is Crisco by another name. Suet is an animal product.

I think Crisco is more of a substitute for lard. Butter is not very good for baking esp pie crusts and other pastries; lard is excellent and Crisco is a fair substitute as far as producing the desired texture in pastry.

[Kali]

28. it seems to be a bit different

from what I can find on the google - the veg. suet may be harder and it may or may not be hydrogenated. I know that is the conventional way to harden vegetable oils (and what "trans fats" are) but I also know crisco changed something recently and they now claim very low trans fat content so I don't know what they are using/doing.

I always thought crisco was a sub for lard too, but the wiki seemed to indicate otherwise.

I haven't tried it yet, but Mark Bittman says yes, use butter for piecrust. - actually I have used it for crust - I played around once doing a crust in the microwave and used butter instead of shortening - it worked. Not great but probably the result of micro rather than butter - still better than storebought.

[DeepBlueC]

30. I've used melted butter in cakes instead of vegetable oil

And I was surprised that it did not work very well at all.

[Kali]

35. in a mix?

About the only time I use melted butter for "cake" is in cornbread.

Usually you cream butter (more or less solid) and sugar together and then add the other ingredients. Lots of butter cake recipes out there.

[Moondog]

25. You are clearly a font of knowledge on the subject.

I never knew, for example, that lard came from pork, and that suet came from beef. I always thought that the terms were essentially synonymous. But then, I'm one of those guys who knows how to eat, but (other than a couple of dozen things) doesn't know how to cook, or why some things work in a kitchen while others don't. Thanks for the tutorial. :hi:

[Kali]

29. some people like chocolate

I like grease:rofl:

I wasn't clear on the suet being beef either till I started looking because of this thread. Knew lard was pork - because I live in tamale land and the best tamales are made with real lard.:9

[arbusto_baboso]

17. It is from a British import shop, yes, but not that brand.

Our roomie has to have her Branston Pickle, barley water, Crunchie bars and English cheeses, so we tend to have all kinds of stuff like that around.

[ThomWV]

14. Birds - that's what we buy it for, the birds. Put it in a tree.

Woodpeckers love it.

[surrealAmerican]

18. It's solid vegetable shortening and refrigerated.

That stuff ought to keep for years.

[arbusto_baboso]

19. Yes, but the point is we don't WANT to keep it.

It's taking up space, and we're looking for a use for it.

[surrealAmerican]

20. I misunderstood.

I thought you were concerned about it going bad. Sorry.

[arbusto_baboso]

21. Well, not really, but I'll use that excuse if I have to.

:evilgrin:

[trof]

23. Deep fried suet!

Get the turkey frier out.

[Minimus]

27. Roll it in some bird seed and feed the birdies.

[JBoy]

31. I remember when David Letterman made a "suit of suet"

And had a bunch of birds in the studio. They were supposed to feed on his suit, but the stunt didn't work and they paid no attention to him.

[arbusto_baboso]

32. You know, I looked for that video on Youtube and couldn't find it.

I wanted to post it to this thread.

[JBoy]

33. I found a QT of his "suit of Alka Seltzer"

http://www.k-statecats.com/dl29_suit_of_Alka-Seltzer_9-06-84.mov

[Xipe Totec]

34. Gorditas de Manteca

We save the suet when we make steaks, just so we can make gorditas.

Fat corn tortillas mixed with rendered fat from the suet, and fried on the griddle.

Then pinched to make a border around them, and filled with goodies like chorizo and melted cheese, avocado, tinga...

[Kali]

36. damn you

I'm having a bowl of ramen right now:puke:

[Xipe Totec]

37. You can use vegetable shortening if you're a vegan

though the whole exercise would be pointless then...

:evilgrin:

[jakefrep]

38. Cut it up in chunks...

2. Put chunks on sticks
3. Dunk in batter
4. Deep fry.

[eppur_se_muova]

39. Mmmmm ... suety. nt

[cwydro]

40. Birds love it!

Put it out for them with some seeds.