How to Make Schmaltz and Gribenes

How to make schmaltz and gribenes from scratch! Helllo!

So enough with the healthy recipes already — let’s make some fat! I’ve had a ton of questions about schmaltz over the years. What is it? Where do I get it? What the heck do I do with it? All good questions. In short: schmaltz is rendered chicken fat, gribenes are the crispy chicken skin bits left behind, and together they are two of the most deeply Jew-y, impossibly delicious things you can make in a kitchen. Scroll down for everything you need to know, including all the recipes that are better because of schmaltz (which is most of them).

What is Schmaltz?

Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat — the liquid gold you get by slowly cooking chicken fat and skin until the fat melts out. That’s it. The process is called rendering, and the result is a rich, deeply savory cooking fat with a flavor that butter and olive oil simply cannot replicate.

The word “schmaltz” comes from Yiddish (שמאַלץ), from the German word for “melted fat.” In English, “schmaltz” has also taken on a second meaning — overly sentimental, as in “that movie was so schmaltzy.” Which, fair enough. But the original meaning is just rendered fat, and it’s incredible.

Schmaltz has the deep, savory richness of duck fat with a distinctly chicken-y flavor that makes everything it touches taste better. Ashkenazi Jewish cooks relied on it for centuries before vegetable oils became widely available — and many still do, because it’s just that good.

What are Gribenes?

Gribenes (also spelled gribbenes or grieven) are the crispy bits of chicken skin and onion left in the pan after you render the schmaltz. Sort of like Jewish bacon, if you will! They’re crunchy, salty, fatty, and completely addictive. I have been known to eat them straight out of the pan before they have a chance to make it into anything else.

Traditionally, gribenes are served with chopped liver — the combination of rich liver and crunchy chicken crackling is a classic for a reason. They’re also fantastic scattered over roasted brussels sprouts, stirred into potato kugel, or just eaten as a snack with a cold drink. No judgment.

A Brief History of Schmaltz

Schmaltz has been a staple of Ashkenazi Jewish cooking for hundreds of years. Because kosher law prohibits mixing meat and dairy, Jewish cooks couldn’t use butter to cook meat dishes — and olive oil was expensive and often hard to come by in Eastern Europe. Chicken fat was the answer. It was flavorful, affordable, and available from the birds that were already being raised for meat and eggs.

For generations, Bubbe (and Zayde) saved every bit of chicken fat she trimmed from birds and rendered it into schmaltz. It went into matzo balls, chopped liver, latkes, kugel, you name it. It was a staple of the Jewish kitchen. When vegetable oils and Crisco became widely available in the 20th century, schmaltz fell out of fashion in many households. But it never disappeared entirely, and these days it’s having a comeback, and for good reason: schmaltz makes food taste better.

Schmaltz vs. Other Fats

How does schmaltz compare to other cooking fats?

• Schmaltz vs. butter — Butter is delicious, but it’s dairy, which makes it off-limits for kosher meat dishes. Schmaltz has similar richness but a deeper, more savory chicken flavor. It also has a higher smoke point than butter.
• Schmaltz vs. duck fat — Duck fat is probably the closest comparison. Both are rendered animal fats with incredible depth of flavor. Schmaltz is more accessible (and cheaper), with a distinctly chicken-forward taste.
• Schmaltz vs. lard — Lard (rendered pork fat) is not kosher, so it’s a non-starter in a kosher Jewish kitchen. Schmaltz is the traditional kosher equivalent and honestly the better choice for Jewish recipes anyway.
• Schmaltz vs. olive oil — Olive oil is great for Mediterranean dishes, but it doesn’t give you the deep Ashkenazi flavor that schmaltz does. For chopped liver and matzo balls, there’s no substitute.
• Schmaltz vs. vegetable oil — Vegetable oil is neutral and fine. Schmaltz is neutral and incredible. Use schmaltz.
• I’m not even going to mention margarine. Moving on!

How to Make Schmaltz

What chicken parts to use

You need chicken fat and skin — about a pound of it. The main question I had when I first made schmaltz was: where do you get a pound of chicken fat? I initially asked my local butcher, but he told me most supermarkets don’t trim their own chickens. I tried a local Mexican market — same story. I was almost resigned to calling around to farmer’s markets when it hit me: just buy the fattiest cut of chicken at the supermarket. I grabbed chicken backs for $0.74 per pound (organic!) and ended up with just under a pound — perfect. Chicken thighs work great too and are easy to find anywhere.

Cut the fat and skin into small, bite-sized pieces — about ½ inch. Smaller pieces render more efficiently and give you crispier gribenes at the end.

Step-by-step

Put the skin, fat, and onions in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. The fat will start melting almost immediately and the onions will begin to sweat. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir every so often with a rubber spatula. You’re looking for the fat to fully melt and the skin to turn golden brown. That’s your schmaltz signal.

How long does it take?

Plan on 40 to 50 minutes over medium-low heat. Low and slow is the move — if you rush it with high heat, the skin will scorch before the fat fully renders. Once the skin is golden and the fat is fully melted and liquid, strain the schmaltz into a jar or cup. Cue the angels singing!

How to Make Gribenes

Crisping the skin

After draining the schmaltz, put the skin and onions back in the pan with a good pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low until the skin is fully crispy and the onions are caramelized. Make sure your skin is in very small pieces — if the pieces are too large, the onions will overcook and burn before the skin gets crispy. Season with more salt to taste and try not to eat them all before they make it to the table.

Version 2: lighter-colored schmaltz

For a lighter, more golden-colored schmaltz, cook the chicken skin alone first, then drain the schmaltz and add the onions to finish the gribenes separately. This keeps the schmaltz from taking on as much color from the onions.

Ta da! It may become your new after-school snack. Gushers be gone!

How to Use Schmaltz

What can’t you use schmaltz for? Here are my favorite ways:

• Chopped liver — this is the classic schmaltz use. Sauté the onions and cook the liver in schmaltz. It’s richer and more flavorful than any other fat you could use here.
• Matzo balls — schmaltz in the matzo ball mixture adds a depth of flavor that vegetable oil just can’t touch. This is Bubbe’s secret.
• Latkes — frying latkes in schmaltz is a life-changing experience. Try it with Mexican potato latkes, sweet potato latkes, or latkes eggs benedict.
• Kugel — a schmear of schmaltz in a potato kugel is traditional and perfect.
• Sautéed vegetables — replace butter or olive oil with schmaltz when cooking onions, cabbage, mushrooms, or any vegetable that benefits from deep savory flavor.
• Roasted vegetables — toss brussels sprouts or root vegetables in schmaltz before roasting. See: roasted brussels sprouts with gribenes.
• Eggs — fry an egg in schmaltz and you’ll never go back. Bonus: top it with gribenes like in my perfect omelette with gribenes.
• Popcorn — melt schmaltz instead of butter. Weird? Yes. Incredible? Also yes.
• Toast — spread schmaltz on toast with a sprinkle of salt. It’s basically the Jewish version of toast with drippings, and it’s fantastic.

How to Store Schmaltz and Gribenes

Once it cools, store schmaltz in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to one month. It’ll solidify in the fridge — that’s normal. Just scoop out what you need and it melts quickly in a warm pan. For longer storage, freeze schmaltz for up to 6 months. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays so I can grab small portions easily.

Gribenes are best eaten fresh — they lose their crunch over time. If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge for a day or two and re-crisp in a dry pan before eating.

How to Make Schmaltz and Gribenes

Amy Kritzer

How to make schmaltz- the champagne of fat!

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Jewish

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 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 medium heat. The fat will begin to melt immediately and the onions with start to sweat. Once sizzling, lower heat to medium low. 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 40-50 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!

Like this recipe?Leave a comment or rate us above

Schmaltz FAQ

Is schmaltz the same as chicken fat?
Yes — schmaltz is rendered (melted-down) chicken fat. The word “schmaltz” is Yiddish for “rendered fat.”

Can I buy schmaltz instead of making it?
Yes! Rendered chicken fat is sold at some specialty grocery stores, kosher markets, and online. Look for it near the specialty or Jewish foods section. But making it at home is easy and much cheaper, and you get gribenes as a bonus.

Is schmaltz healthy?
Schmaltz is high in fat — it’s rendered fat, after all. It’s mostly unsaturated fat with some saturated fat, similar to duck fat. Used in small amounts as a cooking fat (replacing butter or oil), it’s no worse than other animal fats and tastes significantly better. Everything in moderation, as Bubbe would say.

What is a vegetarian substitute for schmaltz?
Refined coconut oil or a good-quality neutral olive oil are the closest vegan alternatives in terms of cooking behavior. They won’t give you the same flavor, but they work in recipes that call for schmaltz. Some specialty stores also sell vegan “schmaltz” made from vegetable fats with added chicken-flavor seasonings.

Can I make schmaltz without the skin?
You can render schmaltz from pure chicken fat without any skin — it just takes longer and you won’t get gribenes at the end. Ask your butcher for chicken fat trimmings. The skin adds both flavor and the gribenes, so I always include it.

What does gribenes mean?
Gribenes (also gribbenes or grieven) is a Yiddish word for the crispy chicken skin crackling left over after rendering schmaltz. Think of it as Jewish pork rinds — but kosher and even better.

What’s the difference between schmaltz and lard?
Lard is rendered pork fat. Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat. They’re used similarly as cooking fats, but lard is not kosher. Schmaltz is the traditional kosher equivalent in Ashkenazi cooking.

Recipes that use schmaltz

• Mexican Potato Latkes (fried in schmaltz, skip the dairy to keep it kosher)
• Potato Latkes Eggs Benedict (fried in schmaltz, skip the Hollandaise to keep it kosher)
• Sweet Potato Latkes (fried in schmaltz)
• Matzah Ball Soup
• Chopped Liver
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Gribenes
• Perfect Omelette with Arugula and Gribenes