What can I do with chicken fat?

[story]

I seem to remember an old wives' tale that rubbed on the chest, chicken fat is a cure for colds.

Goose fat is usually mentioned. But really, any rendered animal fat would do.

It contains all kinds of compounds that act as anti inflammatory agents that easily travel through living tissue.

Fats hold the warmth where applied. That would have been desired /required for poorly folk in a draughty home, especially anyone with a chesty cough.

Although it’s not normally mentioned I reckon onions and other medicinal plants would have been heated in the fat to infuse the fat with the the medicine before application.

And no doubt there would be some crossover between foods preserved in fats that included aromatic herbs and plants, and the fat being scraped off when needed.

Confitting foods is a standard way to preserve food. Add in the rosemary, thyme, garlic, sage, etc and you’ve got a medicinal salve.

 

[story]

I save chicken fat and store it in the freezer.

I use it as a base for a roux. Gives good depth.

I add to cooked veg instead of butter, dolloped into a simple soup to make it richer.


I also save other rendered fats too. I keep the schmaltz separate from other fats, which I’m not so fussy about keeping separated.

 

[Epona]

Goose fat is usually mentioned. But really, any rendered animal fat would do.

It contains all kinds of compounds that act as anti inflammatory agents that easily travel through living tissue.

Fats hold the warmth where applied. That would have been desired /required for poorly folk in a draughty home, especially anyone with a chesty cough.

Although it’s not normally mentioned I reckon onions and other medicinal plants would have been heated in the fat to infuse the fat with the the medicine before application.

And no doubt there would be some crossover between foods preserved in fats that included aromatic herbs and plants, and the fat being scraped off when needed.

Confitting foods is a standard way to preserve food. Add in the rosemary, thyme, garlic, sage, etc and you’ve got a medicinal salve.

This is very valuable information, and a lot of modern pharmaceutical OTC remedies work in a similar way - by increasing bloodflow to an area of the body to (as a couple of examples) reduce respiratory congestion or promote healing either by increasing warmth or cold or by mild irritation (eg. stuff like mustard poultice, tiger balm, camphor, vicks, deep heat, hot compress etc.)

 

[story]

This is very valuable information, and a lot of modern pharmaceutical OTC remedies work in a similar way - by increasing bloodflow to an area of the body to (as a couple of examples) reduce respiratory congestion or promote healing either by increasing warmth or cold or by mild irritation (eg. stuff like mustard poultice, tiger balm, camphor, vicks, deep heat, hot compress etc.)

There's a great deal more that can be said on this topic but I'll forbear.

Suffice to say that yer rendered animal fats can be used for more than food.

Google using animal fats + terms such as medicinal properties, topical, traditional, poultice...

They can also be used in traditional crafts.






Usual qualifiers and caveats here:

Be safe, follow hygiene.

I'm not pushing anything, advocating anything, selling or suggesting anything.

Don't believe or use anything you read on the internet without proper informed support from a qualified professional.

Cross reference and check anything you read with science research papers (HerbMed is the herbal medicine mirror site to PubMed).

See a doctor, don't self diagnose or self treat.

If you want herbal advice seek out a fully trained, qualified, and insured medical herbalist. Then ignore them and see a pharmacist or GP.

Ignore all traditional use, unless for entertainment only.

I think that just about covers it.

 

[story]

This is very valuable information, and a lot of modern pharmaceutical OTC remedies work in a similar way - by increasing bloodflow to an area of the body to (as a couple of examples) reduce respiratory congestion or promote healing either by increasing warmth or cold or by mild irritation (eg. stuff like mustard poultice, tiger balm, camphor, vicks, deep heat, hot compress etc.)

I'm holding back from saying anything about mustard poultices.....

Also onion poultices...

Counter-irritants... Rubefacients...

So much interesting stuff...!

 

[rubbershoes]

Kneidlach!

Gesundheit

 

[WouldBe]

See a doctor, don't self diagnose or self treat.

Where's the fun in that.

Would also lead to a vast reduction in interesting threads in here.

 

[Skinny Ethel]

Onion poultice sounds sexy though. The thought of a muslin bag tied against my fathers left foot swaddling his firm skin with aldi brown onions takes me back to yesteryear. Not applying mustard though that is going too far. Am wondering wether rubbing a bit of dry ginger on his foot would do any harm. I could chant at him like a shamen wrapped in an old sheet.