schmaltz

Schmaltz is rendered poultry fat, typically from chicken or duck, used to add rich flavor to dishes. The term comes from the Yiddish schmalz, which derives from the German Schmalz meaning fat or grease. In English, schmaltz may also refer to a type of sentimental, melodramatic quality, a sense that echoes its culinary richness.

Production: to make schmaltz, trimmed poultry fat and skin are heated slowly until the fat melts and the solids separate. The liquid fat is strained; it can be clarified for longer storage. Schmaltz is usually kept refrigerated and may be frozen for extended use.

Uses: a staple in Ashkenazi Jewish cooking, schmaltz is used to enrich soups (notably matzo ball soup), fried onions, kneidlach (matzo balls), chopped liver, and kugel. It can substitute for butter or oil to impart a poultry-flavored fat in a range of dishes.

Storage and nutrition: schmaltz is high in saturated fat and calories; it should be used in moderation within a balanced diet. Properly stored, it lasts weeks refrigerated and longer when frozen.

Other usage: the word schmaltz has also entered popular culture to describe overly sentimental or mawkish content in film, music, and television, a metaphor drawn from the culinary richness of the fat.