How to make schmaltz and gribenes from scratch! 
Helllo!
So enough with the healthy New Year’s recipes already- let’s make some fat! I have had some questions on the ole WJWE Facebook page regarding schmaltz. What is it and what the heck do I do with it? In short, schmaltz is rendered chicken fat that you get from slowly cooking chicken fat and skin. It’s super flavorful, and just oh so very Jew-y! It makes the perfect latkes, chopped liver or matzo ball. Scroll down to the bottom for some uses for schmaltz and tune back in for the next few weeks for more tasty schmaltz creations!
Anyhoo, onto the schmaltz. Here is what you need:
Oh yeah. That’s pure chicken fat and skin cut into bite-sized (1/2 inch) pieces (because who doesn’t want to take a big ole bite?) The main question I had about this magical Jew potion, is where do you get a pound or so of chicken fat? I initially asked my local butcher, but he says most supermarkets do not trim their own chicken due to “sanitation” or “salmonella scares”. Lame. So I called up our local Mexican market, and even they did not trim their own chicken. Hmff. I was about to call up some farmer’s markets when I had the epiphany to just buy the fattiest cut of chicken at the supermarket. I ended up getting super fatty chicken back at $0.74 per pound! Score! And it was organic! Happy day indeed. Mine came in at just under a pound.
Here’s where the magic happens. Put the skin, fat and onions in a large NONSTICK saute pan over low heat. The fat will begin to melt immediately and the onions with start to sweat. Stir every so often with a rubber spatula. Once the fat melts and the skin begins to brown, your schmaltz is ready! This took me about 15-20 minutes. Drain the schmaltz into a cup and it is ready to use. Cue the angels singing!
Now to make the gribenes, which are fried chicken skin. Sort of like Jewish bacon if you will! I’m going to cook up some tasty recipes with this fried delight as well. Put the skin and onions back in the pan with salt after draining the schmaltz and cook over medium-low until the skin is crispy and the onions and caramelized. Make sure you skin is in very small pieces or the onions will be ready before it is crisp. Season with more salt to taste.
Version two: You can also cook just the chicken skin alone first, then drain the schmaltz and add in the onions and finish cooking. This will lead to a lighter color schmaltz!
Ta da!
It may be your new go-to after school snack. Gushers be gone!
How to Make Schmaltz and Gribenes
Ingredients
- About 1 pound chicken fat and skin cut into small pieces
- 1 large white onion sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Put the skin, onions and salt in a large NONSTICK saute pan over low heat. The fat will begin to melt immediately and the onions with start to sweat. Stir every so often with a rubber spatula. Once the fat melts and the skin begins to brown, your schmaltz is ready! This took me about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the schmaltz into a cup and it is ready to use.
- To make gribenes, put the skin and onions back in the pan after draining the schmaltz and cook over medium-low until the skin is crispy and the onions and caramelized. About 30-40 more minutes. Make sure you skin is in very small pieces or the onions will be ready before it is crisp. Finish with more salt if needed.
- Version two: You can also cook just the chicken skin alone first, then drain the schmaltz and add in the onions and finish cooking. This will lead to a lighter color schmaltz!
Recipes for schmaltz:
Mexican Potato Latkes (fried in schmaltz)
Potato Latkes Eggs Benedict (fried in schmaltz)
Sweet Potato Latkes (fried in schmaltz)
Oy, I feel smell that delicious aroma and feel it on my hips already. Win!
Your ever lovin’ Bubbe
Oh yes my whole house smelled Jew-y!
My mother loves schmaltz. Uses it on toast instead of butter. The family favorite was a dish she made of roast beef and rice with schmaltz. Can’t be beat!
Ooh that sounds delicious- I’d love the recipe!
Do you have any Nutrition Data on schmaltz? I can figure it out for the chicken skins and onions (I haven’t gribenes in FORE’ER!), but none of my books has any data on chicken fat. Thanks for your help!
I don’t! I am guessing it is similar to another fat like butter- it’s not a health food that’s for sure. This link says 120 calories per tbsp. http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-empire-kosher-rendered-chicken-fat-i116362
I just made some gribenes, and it was incredible. I was debating how to use it, like as a topping for fried rice, but ended up eating it all right away…definitely not a health food by any stretch of the imagination, but it is awesome
Good idea with the fried rice! That would make it extra healthy 🙂
It’s such a simple thing, but delivers so much flavor to a lot of recipes…great post!
Thanks, Bonnie! Definitely a necessity for a Jew blog!
I will never look at chicken fat the same way again 😉
Now you think liquid gold!
Ohmygoshes. The nose knows Amy. Honestly, the aromas are still lingering + so amazing (to me) after all these years. Our mom would make gribenes. Not sure if my sibblings even liked them. I sure did! Wasn’t much of a eater as a kid, but this dish (?) always had my attention!
Being a fairly good cook …. I have never made gribenes. Maybe one day.
Thanks for sharing!
Glad this dish brought back so many memories! They are easy to make, give ’em a shot sometime!
Be Careful if you have problems with colesterol….I think olive oil is better…
Schmaltz isn’t a health food, but it sure adds a lot of flavor. And no GMOs!
This is exactly how my momma taught me to make it. We like to mix the onions, schmaltz and grebenes into mashed potatoes. Can’t beat it
Great idea with the mashed potatoes! Thanks Franie!
Never will I roast potatoes or anything for that matter without this delicious schmaltz….cardiac ward here I come lol
HAHA totally worth it!
Fresh Green Beans with Gribenes and Toasted Almonds!!!!
Florida is the “Sunshine State” New Jersey is the “Garden State”
Thanks for the info! I batch cooked a bunch of chicken and stuck it in the fridge to cut up later, and when I took it out there was all this gelatinous fat solidified in the bottom of the container. I knew there had to be some reason I should keep it, so when I found on google that it was called schmaltz and was frequently used in Jewish cooking, I knew your blog would have some recipes I could use it in!
Schmaltz!! Yes it’s the best. I love it in homemade matzah ball soup, or fried potatoes or fried anything. Or even schmear on toast. Mashed potatoes or chopped liver! Yum yum.
I have been making it this way for over 60 years. Nothing bets the taste of it in so many “Jewish” dishes.
I read all the schmaltz recipes, and I just knew this was the “right” one. I’m making schmaltz tomorrow, but I’m already drooling. I’m leaving my comment now because I’ll be too busy eating after I make the schmaltz. Only kidding. I’ll rate the recipe.
Ooh the pressure! Hope you enjoy it!
I’ve been making schmaltz for years, but this is the first recipe I’ve seen where you remove the rendered chicken fat as soon as it’s all melted, and then continue with the gribenes. I was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful, pure and clear colour of the schmaltz. The taste is perfect. I used some to make the filling for kasha knishes and boy what a difference in the exquisite schmaltz taste, as compared with unsatisfactory substitutions I’ve been making in order to prepare this dish healthfully. Never again. Accolades to you. (I gave away the gribenes – that stuff can kill you.)
Glad you liked it! Thanks for the kind words.