SC - Rendering fat

[Mordonna22 at aol.com]

I have not attempted to render chicken any kind of fowl fat, but I have done 
pork and beef.  When we butchered hogs, we rendered the lard thusly:
1.) clean a 55 gallon cast iron cauldron and place on a hot fire to preheat
2.) remove the fat and skin from the hog and cut into pieces about 3 inches 
on a side.
3.) place the fat and skin into the cauldron, adding just enough water to 
keep it from scorching.
4.) add minimum amounts of water occasionally until there is enough lard to 
keep the fat from scorching.
5.) when the "cracklings" are golden brown, and floating, remove from the 
fire and strain the lard into a clean, dry receptacle for storage.
6.) press the cracklings in a lard press to remove as much lard as possible.
7.) gorge on the hot, crisp cracklings.....this is the only time they are 
really good, in my opinion.

Mordonna The Cook
SunDragon, Atenveldt
m.k.a. West Phoenix, AZ