You know that yucky, greasy stuff that rises to the top after cooking meat in liquid. It solidifies when cooled. We usually spoon it off and discard. It is fat and instead of discarding, you can add a few ingredients and make suet cakes to feed your backyard birds. Adding seed, grain, fruit or other tidbits provides high calorie energy when insects are not available.
Sometimes I use bacon grease but this time I used the fat from making ham stock.
You can press the mixture into cookie cutters or just shape into squares or balls and hang outside during these freezing cold days.
Here, I poked a hole in the bottom of a small plastic cup, inserted a length of kitchen twine and knotted the end.
After stirring together a cup of melted fat to about 1/2 cup each of bird seed and cornmeal, I spooned it into a little plastic cup, pressing firmly until filled.
Refrigerate until firm; cut away the cup, pop out and hang outside to wait for some visitors.
More bird feeding ideas found by clicking the photo below
That is a really great idea and I'm betting the birds love them
Would I use the same of amount of bacon grease that I would the ham fat? I have a can of it in my refrigerator that I save and now, I might have a special projects for my grandkids that they would enjoy.
Thank you for sharing.
~ Lisa from Indiana ~
I know the birds love this!
What a lovely treat for the birds! Was scrolling down and reading the previous posts, which I missed, and found both your posts and photos uplifting :).
I love to feed the birds and have often thought of making these little cups but just know that the darned squirrels will devour them in no time. Maybe I should make them at my daughters house with the grandchildren, they dont have so many squirrels down there.Yours certainly look lovely hanging in the snow
What a great idea! It seems even birds love the pig:@)