[Sca-cooks] Tail substitutes

[JIMCHEVAL at aol.com]

Well, not me. But Charles Perry::

"Since the tail is exposed to low  temperatures on four sides, it has a 
particularly low melting point – it’s more  like bacon fat or butter; slightly 
muttony bacon fat or butter."

But the  challenge seems to have defeated even him:

"I have not attempted to work  them out because you can’t get tail fat here 
in Los Angeles. Of course, you  could use clarified butter. It wouldn’t 
give the same flavor as tail fat, but at  least it wouldn’t coat the roof of 
your  mouth."

http://www.anissas.com/those-fat-tails/

Jennifer  McLagan seems to have had better luck:

http://www.jennifermclagan.com/category/fat-tailed-lamb
 
This person recommends what sounds more like a full recipe:
"Place this in a stew pot or saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat,  
adding abundant salt (1 1/2 teaspoons per pound of meat mixture) and a mixture  
of black pepper and bahārāt, about 1 tablespoon spice mix per pound of 
mixed  meat. Simmer for 6 hours, and then pour off the fat into a container 
with some  of the meat. Freeze for up to 6 months and use for the cooking fat 
in meat  recipes."
http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/49/

Lamb's  fat still seems like the simplest default substitute:
"If you’re not in the  Middle East, maybe a Turkish or Lebanese butcher 
near you will spare you some  lamb’s fat. Melt a couple of 1-inch cubes down 
slowly to use as the fat in a  rice dish, fishing out the cracklings to salt 
and eat quietly as the cook’s  treat. Or chop up any quantity of raw fat, , 
cover it with cold water, and put  on a medium heat. When the water has 
evaporated and the meat adhering to the fat  starts to pop and crackle, allow the 
liquid fat to cool down to warm. Strain it  into a jar. Let it cool, and 
store in the fridge for up to 6 months"
 
http://www.greenprophet.com/2011/10/sheeps-tail-fat-ancient-middle-eastern-s
hmaltz/#sthash.YVFnTXJb.dpuf"

Jim  Chevallier
www.chezjim.com

FRENCH BREAD HISTORY: Late medieval bread  outside  Paris
http://leslefts.blogspot.com/2015/07/french-bread-history-late-medieval.html





In  a message dated 9/5/2015 5:01:17 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
ddfr at daviddfriedman.com writes:
Does anyone here have a source (unlikely) or  know enough about what tail 
ought to be like,,,?