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Suet
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{{short description|Raw, hard fat of beef or mutton found around the loins and kidneys}} {{About||the Hong Kong actor|Lam Suet|the Shakespearean clown|Richard "Dicky" Suett|the Roman historian|Suetonius}} [[Image:Beef suet-01.jpg|thumb|Calf suet]] '''Suet''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|uː|ɪ|t|}} {{respell|SOO|it}}) is the raw, hard [[fat]] of [[beef]], [[Lamb and mutton|lamb]] or [[mutton]] found around the [[loin]]s and [[kidney]]s. Suet has a [[melting point]] of between {{convert|45|and|50|C|F}} and solidification (or [[congelation]]) between {{convert|37|and|40|C|F}}. Its high [[smoke point]] makes it ideal for [[deep frying]] and [[pastry]] production. [[File:Tallow-beef suet after rendering.jpg|thumb|Tallow after rendering]] The primary use of suet is in [[tallow]], although it is also used as an ingredient in cooking, especially in traditional baked puddings, such as British [[Christmas pudding]]. Suet is [[rendering (industrial)|rendered]] into tallow by melting and extended [[simmering]], followed by straining, then cooling. The process may be repeated to refine the product. ==Etymology== The word ''suet'' {{IPAc-en|'|s|(|j|)|u:|ɪ|t}} is derived from [[Anglo-Norman language|Anglo-Norman]] {{lang|xno|siuet, suet}}, from [[Old French]] {{lang|fro|sieu, seu}}, from Latin {{lang|la|sēbum}} ('[[tallow]]', 'grease', 'hard [[animal fat]]').<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Gilleland, Jeannie Rideout|title = Anglo-Norman {{lang|xno|Siuet}}, Source of English Suet|year=1980|journal={{lang|de|Zeitschrift für französische Sprache und Literatur}}|volume=90|issue=3|pages=248–250|jstor = 40616857}}</ref> ''Sebum'' is from the [[Proto-Indo-European]] root {{Lang|ine-x-proto|*seyb-}} ('pour out, trickle'), so it shares a root with ''[[sap]]'' and ''[[soap]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eJRaBwAAQBAJ&q=%22soap%22+Proto-Indo-European&pg=PA19|title=The Routledge Handbook of World Englishes|first=Andy|last=Kirkpatrick|date=2010|publisher=Routledge|via=Google Books|isbn=978-1136954566|access-date=2020-11-03|archive-date=2021-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206082251/https://books.google.com/books?id=eJRaBwAAQBAJ&q=%22soap%22+Proto-Indo-European&pg=PA19|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.linguisticsociety.org/sites/default/files/1972_searchable.pdf |title=LSA |access-date=2019-12-21 |archive-date=2019-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221161036/https://www.linguisticsociety.org/sites/default/files/1972_searchable.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> ==Use== ===In cuisine=== {{nutritionalvalue | name=Suet | kJ=3573 | protein=1.50 g | fat=94 g | carbs=0 g | satfat=52 g | monofat=32 g | polyfat=3 g | opt1n=[[Cholesterol]] | opt1v=68 mg | zinc_mg=0.22 | opt3n=[[Selenium]] | opt3v=0.2 mcg | right=1 | source_usda=1 | note=Fat percentage can vary. }} As suet is the fat from around the kidneys, the connective tissue, blood and other non-fat content must be removed. It must be refrigerated prior to use and used within a few days of purchase, similar to raw meat. Pastry made from suet is soft in contrast to the crispness of [[shortcrust pastry]], which makes it ideal for certain sweet and savoury dishes. Suet is found in several traditional British dishes, such as the sweet baked puddings [[jam roly-poly]] and [[spotted dick]]. Savoury dishes include dumplings, which are made using a mixture of suet, flour and water rolled into balls that are added to stews during the final twenty minutes or so of cooking. In the savoury dish [[steak and kidney pudding]], a bowl is lined with a suet pastry, the meat is placed inside and a lid of suet pastry tightly seals the meat. The pudding is then steamed for approximately four hours before serving. Suet is also an ingredient of traditional [[mincemeat]], which is also referred to as 'fruit mince'. Due to its high energy content, cold weather explorers use suet to supplement the high daily energy requirement needed to travel in such climates. Typically the energy requirement is around 5,000–6,000 [[Calorie|Cal]] per day for sledge hauling or dog-sled travelling.<ref>[http://jn.nutrition.org/content/53/4/575.full.pdf Nutritional Requirements in Cold Climates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013192815/http://jn.nutrition.org/content/53/4/575.full.pdf |date=2015-10-13 }}, Rodahl, Kaare; JN - The Journal of Nutrition</ref> Suet is added to food rations to increase the fat content and help meet this high energy requirement. {{Comparison of cooking fats}} ====Suet-based recipes==== <!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order --> {{div col|colwidth=15em|small=yes}} * [[Christmas pudding]] * [[Bedfordshire clanger|Clangers]] * [[Clootie dumpling]] * [[Dumpling]]s * [[Haggis]] * [[Jamaican patty]] * [[Kishka (food)|Kishka/Kishke]] * [[Mincemeat]] * [[Pemmican]] * [[Rag pudding]] * [[Spotted dick]] * [[Steak and kidney pudding]] * [[Suet pudding]] * [[Chapli Kabab]] * [[Sussex pond pudding]] * Suet-crust [[pastry]] * Windsor pudding {{div col end}} <!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order --> ===In bird feed=== {{main|Suet cake}} [[File:Sitta canadensis CT3.jpg|thumb|right|[[Red-breasted nuthatch]] feeding on suet]] [[suet cake|Cakes of suet]] are popularly used for feeding wild birds and may be made with other solid fats, such as [[lard]]. Rolled oats, [[bird food|bird seed]], cornmeal, raisins, and unsalted nuts are often incorporated into the suet cakes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.attractwildbirds.com/feedingbirds/how-to-make-suet.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905204107/http://www.attractwildbirds.com/feedingbirds/how-to-make-suet.htm|url-status=dead |title=Attractwildbirds.com|archive-date=September 5, 2010}}</ref> ==Availability== Pre-packaged suet sold in [[supermarket]]s is [[Food drying|dehydrated]] suet.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} It is mixed with flour to make it stable at room temperature, requiring some care when using it for recipes calling for fresh suet, as the proportions of flour to fat can change. Most modern processed recipes stipulate packaged suet. Also available is vegetable suet, which is made from refined vegetable oil.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gourmetsleuth.com/ingredients/detail/vegetable-suet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127081720/http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/ingredients/detail/vegetable-suet |url-status=usurped |archive-date=November 27, 2014 |title=Vegetable suet |website=gourmetsleuth.com |access-date=17 November 2022 }}</ref> ==Cultural and religious restrictions== {{Main|Chelev}} Consumption of suet is forbidden according to [[Jewish]] law and it was reserved for ritual altar sacrifices. This restriction only applies to those animals which were used for sacrifices, and thus does not include wild animals such as deer. [[Maimonides]] in his book [[The Guide for the Perplexed|Guide To The Perplexed]], writes that one of the ideas behind this commandment is that the [[Torah]] wants to teach people to develop the discipline to avoid very tasty foods that are unhealthy. ==See also== <!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order & add a short description [[WP:SEEALSO]] --> * [[Dripping]] * [[Lard#Production|Leaf lard]] * [[Salo (food)]] * [[Schmaltz]] <!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order --> ==References== {{Reflist}} {{fatsandoils}} {{Subject bar|Food|Birds|auto=1}} [[Category:Animal fat products]] [[Category:Cooking fats]] [[Category:Bird feeding]]
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