Animal Fats

Animal fats can be used for cooking in two ways: cut directly from the meat or rendered to remove non-fatty membrane. Unrendered pork fat has the most flavor and therefore features prominently in charcuterie, where it is often sliced for lining pâté and terrine molds or for barding roasts and poultry. Unrendered beef fat, called suet, is chopped for pies such as British steak and kidney pudding and some pastries. Lamb fat is also used in this way, but it can have a strong taste. In Britain, the drippings from roast meats are used for pan-fried potatoes, and in eastern Europe for sautéing onions.