Griebenschmaltz

by Susan Nagel
(Houston, TX)

Griebenschmaltz

My husband would always buy this at one of the stalls in the WeinachtsMarkt when we lived in Augsburg in the 70's and 80's. Personally I always thought it was disgusting LOL but he absolutely loved it. Usually I was at the kartoffelpuffer stand loading up on groups of 3 mit apfelmuss. Those were the days!

edited: I've since edited the spelling of the original request to the correct one so that more people will find this :)
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Hallo Susan,

You have me on this one! I've never heard of "Griebenschmaltz".

Schmaltz is rendered goose, chicken, or pork fat. It is used for frying and adding flavour to the dish. AND, it is used as a spread for bread (instead of butter).

I recall my Mutti making schmaltz. She would use pork fat and we'd love to eat the 'cracklings' after. Sometimes she would fry onions with the fat to flavour it. Often, she'd leave the bits of cracklings and onions in the schmaltz. Delicious on bread.

My Vati used to sprinkle celery salt over the schmaltz on his home-made rye bread. I loved that and do that to this day.

I have a German Deli close to where I live in Ontario and often buy the schmaltz to use for frying. It reminds me a bit of using bacon fat which adds great flavour to whatever I'm cooking.

However, the term Griebenschmaltz is new. I'm hoping some of our readers recognize this and enlighten us in it.

Blessings,
Gerhild