Chicken fat (schmaltz)

שמאלץ / schmaltz · chicken fat

Flavor and role: Rendered and strained chicken skin and fat with a rich chicken flavor. Adds savory depth to Jewish home cooking and Asian chicken dishes.
Smoke point: 190℃
Typical dishes and uses: Matzo ball soup, chopped liver, cooking rice for Hainanese chicken rice, roasting potatoes
Substitutes: Replace 1:1 with butter or vegetable oil.
Storage: Refrigerate 2-3 months, freeze 6 months.
Main countries: Israel · United States · Poland
Used in this book: Hainanese chicken rice Slow-poached Hainanese chicken rice Tokyo-Style Clear Chicken Shoyu Ramen

Updated 2026-10-10