Rendering lamb fat?

[Mad Yeti]

We just butchered a couple sheep and I saved the fat for rendering. Has anybody here rendered lamb fat and have any tips? Thanks

 

[oldwood]

I use an old electric frying pan , and set the heat so the fat melts , and not fryes. Bear fat can be done the same way. Both are excellent patch lubes.

 

[bpd303]

Pretty much like beef tallow. Cut it into cubes, cook it in water on low heat till separated from the cracklings, strain it and refrigerate. Like Oldwood said works too, I use an old crock pot.

 

[rp77469]

I use a crock pot for bear fat. Never tried sheep fat, so can only hope that what I do works for you.

Cut fat into small cubes removing all meat, blood, dirt and hair. Add the fat to the crock pot along with 2-3 pints clean water. The water is to prevent scorching the fat causing discoloration during initial heating. It boils off later. I have two crock pots and use the lowest heat setting on both. I start heating around sundown and it is ready to strain and can the next morning. I've found more time at a lower temperature gives a cleaner, whiter grease.

 

[Mad Yeti]

I use a crock pot for bear fat. Never tried sheep fat, so can only hope that what I do works for you.

Cut fat into small cubes removing all meat, blood, dirt and hair. Add the fat to the crock pot along with 2-3 pints clean water. The water is to prevent scorching the fat causing discoloration during initial heating. It boils off later. I have two crock pots and use the lowest heat setting on both. I start heating around sundown and it is ready to strain and can the next morning. I've found more time at a lower temperature gives a cleaner, whiter grease.

Ahh...ok, so low heat is the key. So, are we talking 8-10 hours?
Thanks everybody!

 

[rp77469]

Ahh...ok, so low heat is the key. So, are we talking 8-10 hours?
Thanks everybody!

12-16 hours for me including straining and canning. I do all but the straining and canning on the porch or in the garage as some of the light oils evaporate and end up in the wallpaper or on the walls. SOME wives get a bit perturbed if that happens in HER house. Or so I've heard.

 

[Mad Yeti]

12-16 hours for me including straining and canning. I do all but the straining and canning on the porch or in the garage as some of the light oils evaporate and end up in the wallpaper or on the walls. SOME wives get a bit perturbed if that happens in HER house. Or so I've heard.

Ha! Yeah, I already planned on doing it outside.

 

[necchi]

Good advise so far, low and slow.
Strain it through an old tee shirt. Want the best?
Let it solidify, clean the cooker, then repeat the process.
Folks today want quick/immediate/easy,
That second rendering will give you the quality that was worked for 100+yrs ago.
Your lucky, I've been after lamb/mutton fat for a long time. There is no butcher within 200 miles of me that has ever processed Hogget.
Today in MN, it's all dairy, beef and cash crops, I haven't seen a sheep on foot since I lived in Douglas, Wyo in the 80's!

 

[oldwood]

Loved using Dixie GW Old Zip Patch grease. It was sheep fat rendered. Shot competition w/it for years. Good stuff. In the 1970's , think it was a buck a can.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I use a crock pot and strain the fat chunks in water. I also have a potato masher I use to mash the fat chunks to help leach out any extra fat. It is strained then rendered again to catch any missed impurities. The last straining gives pure white tallow. I use mutton tallow as a lube when drilling metal. Mutton tallow is also excellent for giving a coating to antique bone handled silverware and antler handled knives. It gives a needed moisture back to the bone to stop the drying out of the bone.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[EcoRover]

We just butchered a couple sheep and I saved the fat for rendering. Has anybody here rendered lamb fat and have any tips? Thanks

Lamb or mutton fat is a great patch lube, nearly as good as bear fat though it waxes up at a higher temp than bear or coon fat. Mostly I use it on leather including shoes and such.

 

[Mad Yeti]

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll try the crock pot method first.