What is Schmaltz?
Schmaltz is rendered fat. In Jewish tradition, it is made by rendering chicken or goose fat, and the term is also used in parts of Germany and Poland to refer to rendered pork fat utilized in traditional cuisine. This rendered fat can be used for frying and flavoring, and as a spread for things like breads. Like other types of refined fat used in traditional cookery, schmaltz arose out of necessity, and became so well integrated into traditional cuisine that it is now a prized ingredient, and traditionalists argue that they can also detect substitutions for the original ingredient in updated dishes. The word “schmaltz” is Yiddish, borrowed directly from the German. The fat is rendered by chopping raw fat into small pieces and cooking it slowly to allow the fat to liquefy. Then, the fat is poured off, leaving pieces of solid fat behind, and it may be filtered for clarity. When it is rendered properly, it should not go rancid, as the water and proteins which cause fats to go rancid have
