Duck Fat Rendering Recipe
Follow this step-by-step guide to learn the healthiest way to render duck fat at home.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lb duck fat 1 kg
- 1 ½ cups water or more as required
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients:
- Wash and thoroughly dry duck fat and duck skin slices. Remove any blood vessels and trim off any remaining meat.
- If using duck skin, grind duck fat and duck skin together. If grinder is not available, chop duck skin into small pieces.
Rendering duck fat:
- Begin by placing duck fat pieces into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add enough water to cover two-thirds of the duck fat pieces.
- Put the pot on the stove over medium heat, bringing it to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and let the duck fat simmer in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Remove any surface foam and turn off the heat. The liquid will appear milky white. Cover the pot with a lid.
- Allow the fat to slowly melt in hot water. Take a break and let the hot water work its magic, leaving the fat to sit in boiled water for 2-4 hours or even overnight.
- Reheat the mixture, bringing it to a simmer. Lower the heat further. In about 15- 20 minutes, most of the water should evaporate, and the duck fat pieces will considerably shrink. Your rendered duck fat is ready when the fat inside the pot becomes translucent.
Prepare rendered duck fat for storage:
- Strain the liquid duck fat into a glass storage container using a fine mesh metal strainer.
- Let it cool completely on the counter, then cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to one year or in the freezer for up to two years (using freezer-safe glass jars).
Notes
The specified in this recipe quantity of duck fat yields 1 ½ half-liter jars of rendered duck fat (52 oz in total).