Rendered chicken (or goose) fat — the savory drippings saved from a stewing hen, used to enrich rice, greens, and dressing. The Black Southern kitchen's whole-animal thrift.
Nothing of the bird was wasted in the Black Southern kitchen. The fat that rose off the stewing hen went into the rice pot or the dressing — flavor and calories that stretched a modest table.
Schmaltz is notably higher in monounsaturated fat (the oleic acid also found in olive oil) than beef tallow or butter, and lower in saturated fat than lard. Rendered from pasture-raised birds it carries fat-soluble vitamins A and E. As a flavoring fat used by the spoonful rather than the cup, it adds richness and satiety that helps a meal hold, reducing the urge to over-snack. Its monounsaturated profile makes it a gentler animal fat than the harder saturated fats.
Render chicken skin and fat trimmings slowly with a little onion until the fat liquefies and the solids (gribenes) crisp. Strain and refrigerate; keeps weeks cold. Use to start rice, smother greens, or grease a cornbread skillet.
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