Is butter or coconut oil OK to use instead of shortening?

[Mynyel]

I don't have shortening!

[zookeeper]

What are you making?

[Carpe]

It depends on the recipe. What are you making?

[coffeegal]

Yes. My vote is for butter. :001_smile:

 

Generally - replace oil/fat with oil/fat, sweetner with sweetner, liquid with similar liquid and you'll be all right.

 

ETA: I substitute all the time, and no one in my family is a picky eater. We've had several variations of pancakes, cookies, sauces, etc. I just rename the item if needed.

Edited October 24, 2011 by coffeegal

[Carpe]

I've said this before but lard substitutes very well for shortening :) but we're lard fiends at my house.

[coffeegal]

Yes. What do you plan to use it in? Butter isn't the best for cakes (coconut oil works great).

 

Why isn't butter best for cakes? I've been using butter as a substitute for shortning for years, but I wouldn't call myself a master baker either. ;)

[Carpe]

Do you buy it or render it yourself? And if you do it yourself, what do you use?

 

Yes. We mostly buy because it stinks to make. But I do make it sometimes. Typically out of beef fat, in a cauldron on the barbecue.

[Mynyel]

I am making a cake... Italian Cream cake to be exact. :D

[mom4him]

Yes. We mostly buy because it stinks to make. But I do make it sometimes. Typically out of beef fat, in a cauldron on the barbecue.

 

I have never used beef tallow but have done a lot of pork. I render it in the oven on a low heat. I works great!

[mom4him]

I am making a cake... Italian Cream cake to be exact. :D

 

The coconut oil would be yummy I would think.

[Soror]

I'd use palm shortening for that but coconut oil would be my second choice. I love lard here as well, but not necessarily for cakes- I use palm or coconut. I render my own lard from the hog we get.

[Jen in PA]

I use coconut oil (the type without a strong coconut flavor) in place of shortening all the time with great results.

[WishboneDawn]

Yes. We mostly buy because it stinks to make. But I do make it sometimes. Typically out of beef fat, in a cauldron on the barbecue.

 

That's tallow, isn't it? I thought lard was specifically pigs.

[Carpe]

How did the cake turn out?

 

That's tallow, isn't it? I thought lard was specifically pigs.

 

Probably technically yes. In my world it's lard if it's any rendered animal fat. In fact I'm just speculating that what DH brings home from work (he's a butcher) is mostly if not all beef fat (because they sell 100x more beef than anything else) but he could be a lard purist and only be bringing home pork fat. I, ironically, don't eat pork, so I don't know what a hunk of pork fat looks like raw. Clear as mud? :lol: