How to line a coconut shell!! (1 Viewer)

[Elizabeth Bigg]

No it,s the kind you would buy in blocks, for use in a fryingpan for doing a fry-up.

I think I have read that it should be animal fat (ie lard) rather than a vegetable one. I use suet for making fat blocks (adding finely chopped peanuts, sunflower hearts, mixed seed, porridge oats and raisins), because it sets really hard, quite quickly.

 

[christineredgate]

Wow you British types have me completely lost! I'm not sure what the idea is here. Are we putting regular kitchen "fat" in coconut shells and then hanging them from the trees? Is the fat, simply grease run-off from bacon, etc?

Thanks for clarifying for this confused American <easy now, I know the jokes are too easy with that intro...!>

Yes,we can buy them in the shops already filled with fat and seeds etc,but they quite expensive,but the birds love them,so whatwe do is make our own mixture ,once the birds have emptied the originals,and re fill them.As Elizabeth has already mentioned,hard suet is the best ,as lard is too soft.The mixture can always be left as a lage cake and sat on the bird table,or put into yoghurt pots etc,and then put into fatball holders.

 

[jward]

Thanks, all. I explained the idea to my wife who generally does the shopping (although suet hasn't been on her list yet) . She seems receptive to me using the kitchen, but did give me one of those looks... Another hairbrained idea from her crazy husband!!!

I'll head to the store this weekend and let you know how it works out.

 

[Benjismum]

As Elizabeth has already mentioned,hard suet is the best ,as lard is too soft.

Aah, that's where I've been going wrong - always wondered why my lard birdcakes fell off the string, or wouldn't come out of the yoghurt pots!

Off to get some suet tomorrow then. Any particular makes recommended?

 

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Aah, that's where I've been going wrong - always wondered why my lard birdcakes fell off the string, or wouldn't come out of the yoghurt pots!

Off to get some suet tomorrow then. Any particular makes recommended?

I've only ever found Atora in the last few years.

 

[christineredgate]

Dawn,when we lived near a Tesco store,I used to buy their dripping,but now I go to the local butcher,and buy his suet.Costs 50p for a large pack.I use 2 packs mixed with ground nuts,sultanas,and some ground food,and make quite a large supply.
I used lard the first time I made some bird cakes,it was a disaster,too soft.

 

[vinnielo]

As with most of my ideas, this one probably won't work:

Let the lard set in a bowl with your ingredients, then use a spoon to pound it into the shell, scoop-by scoop. Make sure there are no air bubbles.

Oh, and let me know if it works or not!

 

[Metermaid]

Well that was very handy - just logged on to ask about filling shells and there was your thread - almost all my questions answered ....except.....does the seed stay uniformly throughout the 'cake' I wondered if it would sink on cooling or is there a technique to prevent this ? (I too find the birds love these coconuts but get through them so quickly - I have been paying £3 for 4 so it adds up !)

Cheers

Rita

 

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Suet hardens fairly quickly - too quickly if you get distracted - so the "filling" stays distributed fairly well, though I do find that when I turn the blocks out of the moulds, there is a thin layer of suet on the bottom.

 

[christineredgate]

Rita,the only place where I find there may be a little left is the area where the string fits through the shell.It is that coir type string so the food does tend to stick.The birds pick the layer of fat from the shell surface anyway.I also keep these filled shells in the freezer,and just take out as needed.
Happy cooking!!!