Finaly found a source of mutton suet for rendering into tallow.

[tombear]

OK it will actually be off lambs or hoggets depending on the time of year but I found a guy on Colne market who does his own butchering at his farm ( which is o ly a few miles away) who says he can supply with any amount of suet from around the kidneys for very little if not completely free to make rush lights and candles as well as various lotions and potions. To show willing we got a couple of pound of diced lamb for a hot pot tomorrow. Anyroad I've a contact number for him and I'll see how much can get although there's no hurry as the rushes won't peak until the start of July.

It's been a while since I've harped on about this and I'll do a tutorial. In the meantime I'll have another go at sourcing a gresset, I may even have the dosh to have one made up!

Atb

Tom

 

[Wildgoose]

He’ll probably be glad to see it go to use rather than pay for disposal

 

[Toddy]

Very good

It's funny how folks perception of such things goes. Good suet smells less than oil does when it burns, and it's cleaner too. It might not be beeswax but it's every bit as good as the carp stuff sold as 'candlewax' these days.

 

[Tengu]

Your going to have the best dumplings in your hotpot.

 

[tombear]

It's cheap pork fat that's given rush dips and tallow candles a bad rep and lazy novel writers!. Mind Ive a bag of tallow candles that must be over 10 years old now that must be well rancid by now.

I've ended up with a pound or two of sterin from carboot candle kits so i will probably make up a bunch of dips and watch lights to give to a few museums that have rush nips which are either empty or have parafin wax tapers for display. they are a bit iffy about animal fats.

He does supply the odd pound or two to folks for cooking with. I'll phone him this week. 10 to 20 lb in pound blocks is about as much as i can freeze store without getting it in the neck for hogging my freezer. its more than my lifes worth to hide it in the chest freezer i got herself to stop her filling mine with fruit and a sieges worth of frozen chicken!

Myreplica 8 tube and 2 tube tin size 10 candle moulds need some TLC where i've dented them just need some 7/8ths inch round stock with one end rounded off to insert and beat against.

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Good suet can be melted and then jarred (canned) and sealed.
It'll last for years and years that way.
Just make sure you've cleaned it off thoroughly and there's no water added, and it'll be fine.
No need to fill the freezer to keep it. Just a cold cupboard will do very well.

 

[tombear]

Cheers, we aint short of kilner jars.

I'll see if I cn sweet talk herslf into into making me some linen wick with the lucet.

Also thinking of asking a son to see if he can 3 D print me a tiny rope laying machine to make twisted wick for me. ive been looking at some 19th and earlier candles and quite thick twisted wicks seam to be very common. I used to have some lovely twisted stuff that a guy at a linen industry museum in Ulster span for me but that's long gone.

ATB

Tom