Poultry
Schmaltz
Schmaltz is chicken (or goose) fat rendered slowly, often with onion, until fragrant and spoonable when chilled—central to Ashkenazi cooking for spreading, frying, and enriching matzo balls. The crispy by-product is gribenes. Render low with sliced onion, strain, and chill. Spread on bread with salt, or fry onions and livers in it. Flavour is richer and more aromatic than plain neutral oil. Store cold; rancidity ruins the delicate onion-sweet fat.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Nutrition and pairings
Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g edible portion. Nutrient names open the reference page.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g edible portion
Amount per 100 g
- Total Fat 99 g
- Saturated Fat 34.7 g
- Trans Fat 0.1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 39.6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 24.8 g
- Cholesterol 111 mg
- Sodium 72.2 mg
- Salt 0.16 g
- Total Carbohydrate 0 g
- Dietary Fibre 0 g
- Total Sugars 0 g
- Complex / starch 0 g
- Protein 0.2 g
- Water 0.3 g
- Energy 892 kcal
- Water 0.3 g
- Protein 0.2 g
- Fat 99 g
- Saturated Fat 34.7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 39.6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 24.8 g
- Omega-3 3.71 g
- Trans Fat 0.1 g
- Vitamins 34.9 mg
- Vitamin A 15 µg
- Vitamin B1 — Thiamine 0.07 mg
- Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin 0.13 mg
- Vitamin B3 — Niacin 6.88 mg
- Vitamin B5 — Pantothenic Acid 0.85 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.42 mg
- Vitamin B7 — Biotin 1.7 µg
- Vitamin B9 — Folate 4.9 µg
- Vitamin B12 — Cobalamin 1.2 µg
- Vitamin C 2 mg
- Vitamin D 0.2 µg
- Vitamin E 0.35 mg
- Vitamin K 1.2 µg
- Minerals 482 mg
- Major Minerals 480 mg
- Trace Minerals 1.5 mg
- Iron 1.5 mg
- Salt 0.16 g
- Cholesterol 111 mg
Vitamins
vitamin-c: 2 · vitamin-b12-cobalamin: 1.2 · vitamin-a: 15 · vitamin-b1-thiamine: 0.07 · vitamin-b2-riboflavin: 0.13 · vitamin-b3-niacin: 6.88 · vitamin-b5-pantothenic-acid: 0.85 · vitamin-b6: 0.42 · vitamin-b7-biotin: 1.7 · vitamin-b9-folate: 4.9 · vitamin-d: 0.2 · vitamin-e: 0.35 · vitamin-k: 1.2 ·
Minerals
Rendered or depot fat is nearly pure lipid energy with negligible carbohydrate.
History
Ashkenazi home kitchens made schmaltz a weekly fat staple before cheap oils.
Deli culture kept schmaltz alive for chopped liver and traditional spreads.
Modern Jewish and chef kitchens revived schmaltz as a flavour fat of memory.