The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle (7 page)

Rendered Fat Basics

One of the most challenging parts of starting a new, healthy lifestyle is understanding the importance of using the right fats in cooking. In addition to coconut oil, olive oil, and butter, rendered fats from healthy animals are excellent energy sources. Here is a quick guide on how to render your own animal fats.

LARD

One of the most versatile animal-based cooking fats, lard is rendered pig fat. It is stable at high heat and is the superior choice for frying. Lard can be made from back or leaf fat (the area around the pig’s kidneys); leaf fat has a more neutral taste.

To make lard, cut the fat into the smallest pieces possible, trimming away any skin or meat. Partially freezing the fat beforehand makes it easier to cut. A meat grinder is the easiest and most effective way to cut the lard to an appropriate size.

Cook the fat in a skillet or Dutch oven on low, pouring and straining the liquid fat through a coffee filter or cheesecloth as it accumulates. Once the pieces turn golden brown and stop rendering lard, the fat has been fully rendered; strain the remaining liquid fat and reserve the browned fat pieces, known as lardons, to add to soups, salads, or Guacamole (
see here
) as a flavor enhancer. This process can take up to 2 hours total. Be extra careful not to heat lard on anything higher than low, as the fat burns easily and burnt lard is inedible.

Alternatively, you can render the lard in water to guarantee that it won’t burn, a process called wet rendering. This method yields less lard than dry rendering but is worry-free. Add the minced fat to a stockpot with a few cups of water; bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer on low for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours. Strain the fat pieces and separate the rendered lard from the water using a fat separator. The fat pieces can later be crisped in a skillet to make lardons, if desired.

TALLOW

Tallow is rendered beef, bison, or lamb fat. To cook it, use the same process described above for lard. Tallow is also an excellent high-heat fat and has a similarly high smoke point, but it tends to have a meatier taste than lard.

DUCK FAT

Eating potatoes or vegetables roasted in duck fat is an unforgettable experience. Rendering duck fat is possible, but finding skin and fat on their own is difficult. I prefer to create and reserve duck fat when roasting a whole duck (
see here
) or to buy rendered fat from a high-quality supplier like Fatworks.

SCHMALTZ

Schmaltz is rendered chicken or goose fat. It is used primarily as a spread and a frying fat in Eastern Europe and in many Jewish communities. It is also commonly used to make chicken liver pâté. Schmaltz can be used to make a roux, which occurs naturally when making my Roasted Chicken (
see here
).

GHEE

Ghee is a form of clarified butter and is an excellent cooking fat. It differs from regular clarified butter in that the milk solids are left to brown in the butter as it simmers, adding a nutty flavor. Because its milk solids, which tend to burn at high temperatures, are rendered out, ghee can be used to cook foods at high heat while still imparting a rich, buttery taste. To clarify butter, heat it on low, gently simmering until the milk solids bubble, separate, and turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain through at least two layers of cheesecloth, let cool, and store in the fridge for up to several months. Two cups butter yields 11/2 cups ghee.

Stock and Broth Basics

Stocks and broths are essential elements of many savory dishes. They are nutrient-dense and renowned as healing foods throughout the world (think chicken soup). Perhaps just as important is the fact that they enhance flavors. The term stock generally refers to a liquid made by simmering bones, meat, and vegetables; broth refers to a stock that has been seasoned with salt, pepper, tomato paste, and/or wine. In the United States, the word stock can imply that it was simmered with only bones and vegetables. Most home chefs use the two terms interchangeably. I tend to season my stock into broth so that I can enjoy a plain cup of broth when I feel like it. In general, I prefer to use a combination of two-thirds bones to one-third meats, or bones with generous portions of meat attached.

BEEF, BISON, VEAL, AND LAMB STOCK/BROTH

2-3 LBS. SOUP BONES COMBINED WITH MEATY BONES (OXTAILS, SHANKS, KNUCKLE BONES, ETC.)

1 LARGE ONION, SKIN INTACT, QUARTERED

3-4 LARGE CARROTS, TOPS INTACT, CUT IN HALF LENGTHWISE

3-4 STALKS CELERY, WITH LEAVES, CUT IN HALF LENGTHWISE

1 TBSP. BLACK PEPPERCORNS

6 CLOVES GARLIC

3 SPRIGS FRESH DILL

3 SPRIGS FRESH PARSLEY

2 TBSP. TOMATO PASTE

SALT AND BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE

1. Place the bones on a rimmed baking sheet, then place in the oven and broil until well browned, about 20 minutes. Add to a large stockpot, fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the bones by 1", then boil on high heat for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones in cold water, then clean the pot; return the bones to the pot and add the remaining ingredients. Fill with enough water to cover everything by 1". Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low; simmer for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours, adding water as it evaporates. Alternatively, you can simmer the bones in a slow cooker.

2. Strain and discard the solids, and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the broth into a fat separator, then distribute into jars. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.

For Pork (or Ham) Stock/Broth:
Use pigs’ feet, hocks, or neck bones. Pork is naturally saltier than beef, so be sure to taste it before seasoning. Leftover ham bones are excellent sources of stock and do not require roasting ahead of time.

For Poultry Stock/Broth:
Use feet, necks, and backs, which don’t need to be roasted ahead of time. Substitute 1/2 cup white wine for the tomato paste. Carcasses from whole roasted chickens, ducks, or turkeys can also be used to make stock.

FISH STOCK/BROTH

1 TBSP. BUTTER

1 LARGE CARROT, COARSELY CHOPPED

1 LARGE ONION, COARSELY CHOPPED

1 STALK CELERY, COARSELY CHOPPED

10 BLACK PEPPERCORNS

1 CUP WHITE WINE

1-2 LBS. FISH HEADS, BONES, AND TAILS, GILLS AND INTESTINES REMOVED (WHITE, NON-OILY FISH SUCH AS HALIBUT, COD, SOLE, ROCKFISH, OR SNAPPER PREFERRED)

5 SPRIGS FRESH PARSLEY

2 BAY LEAVES

1. Melt the butter in a large stockpot on medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and peppercorns and sauté until softened, 5 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a simmer, then add the remaining ingredients and 2-3 quarts water. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 2 hours without stirring. Skim off any foam that accumulates.

2. Strain into jars using a colander and 2 layers of cheesecloth, discarding the solids. Keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

For Shellfish Stock/Broth:
Use crab, lobster, shrimp, and crawfish shells. Shrimp and crawfish heads can also be included.

Gravy Basics

Mastering gravies and pan sauces is an essential way to enhance a dish’s flavor and provide moisture. They are also an excellent way to make sure that pan drippings and braising liquids don’t go to waste. The term pan sauce is generally reserved for sauces made by deglazing a pan after browning or pan-frying that are usually thin in texture. In the United States, however, gravy is a general term that can include thickened sauces made from braising liquid or broth, as well as pan sauces.

ROUX-BASED GRAVY

A roux is a mixture of flour and fat used to thicken gravies and soups. A roux made of wheat flour is extremely forgiving; many chefs make the roux separately and stir it into the liquid to thicken it. Rice and coconut flours are less forgiving and unpredictable, so it is better to make your grain-free roux in a large skillet and then add liquid to the skillet until it reaches the desired thickness. A roux made with white rice flour and butter is most consistently like a wheat-based roux in terms of flavor and texture and is my preferred roux. If you roast your meat in a stainless-steel skillet (like Roasted Chicken,
see here
), you can create your roux directly in the skillet, drippings included.

1-2 TBSP. COOKING FAT (BUTTER, RESERVED BACON DRIPPINGS, LARD, OR COCONUT OIL)

1-2 TBSP. WHITE RICE FLOUR OR COCONUT FLOUR

1-2 CUPS DRIPPINGS, BROTH, WINE, BRAISING LIQUID, OR A COMBINATION

SALT AND BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE

1. Heat the fat in a large skillet on medium-low until warmed, about 1 minute. Add the flour and stir to combine, then toast the roux until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the drippings, broth, wine, or braising liquid and bring to a simmer, adding more liquid as it thickens. Some gravies fare better with some cream added, as in Chicken-Fried Steak (
see here
). If you have leftover scraps from carving the meat, mince the scraps and add them to the gravy. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

2. Gravy broths can be premade (
see here
) or, when cooking whole poultry, created by simmering the giblets (neck and gizzard, not the liver) as it roasts. Adding a splash of white wine to chicken broth or red wine to beef broth adds depth of flavor; the acidity also helps with the digestion of starches, like Garlic Mashed Potatoes (
see here
) or Rice (
see here
).

PAN SAUCES

Pan sauces, like that in my Eye of Round Roast recipe (
see here
), are even simpler because they reach the desired taste and consistency through reduction. Typically, braising liquid, broth, or wine is combined with the browned bits left over from browning (called sucs, from the French) and reduced and seasoned. Pan sauces are often strained before serving for presentation’s sake.

SUCS (BROWNED PIECES FROM BROWNING)

1-2 CUPS BRAISING LIQUID, BROTH, WINE, OR A COMBINATION

SALT AND BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE

1. Pour the braising liquid, broth, and wine into the pan used to brown the meat, whisking the liquid together with the sucs to deglaze the pan. Simmer on medium heat until reduced to your desired consistency (reducing by half is typical), then season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

STARCH-THICKENED GRAVY

Gravies can also be thickened by using a starch-based slurry. As a general rule, 1 Tbsp. starch will easily thicken 1 cup liquid. For anything beyond 2 cups liquid, I prefer to use arrowroot starch, as potato starch can clump in larger quantities. Arrowroot starch maintains its thickness when it cools; potato starch does not.

I do not recommend using tapioca starch as a thickener, as it creates a gummy texture. Some people like to use small amounts of gelatin to thicken gravies, but I find that it’s too easy to overthicken the gravy into something more akin to Jell-O.

1-2 CUPS DRIPPINGS, BROTH, WINE, BRAISING LIQUID, OR A COMBINATION

SALT AND BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE

1-2 TBSP. POTATO STARCH OR ARROWROOT STARCH

1-2 TBSP. COLD WATER

1. Combine the drippings, broth, and wine, season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk together the starch and cold water into a slurry in a small bowl; add the slurry to the gravy and stir until thickened.