Rendering Beef Fat For Suet Cakes And Cones (Bird Food) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs beef suet
Peanut Butter Suet
2 cups fat, rendered
1/2 cup peanut butter, crunchy
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
2 cups mixed bird seed
Fruit and Nut Suet
2 1/2 cups fat, rendered
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup dried apple, chopped
2 1/2 cups mixed bird seed

Preparation

Using a large knife, cut the frozen raw suet into chunks.
Place about 2 cups of these chunks into a heatproof (glass or ceramic) container. Cover with a lid or dinner plate and microwave on HIGH for 5 - 8 minutes.
Pour or strain the liquid fat into another heatproof container (I use glass measuring cups) and set aside.
Continue until all the raw suet has been processed. Discard what is left of the 'chunks'. You now have several containers of rendered fat. Easy, isn't it.
At this point, you can proceed with making the 'cakes' or refrigerate the fat for another time.
To make Cakes and Cones:
Use lengths of thin wire or string to make a hanger for the cones. Starting at the base of the cone, weave the wire around the cone towards the top. Leave enough to form a loop, then weave back down to the base. Tie to secure.
Melt the specified amount of rendered fat in the microwave.
As the fat begins to cool, it will become cloudy and thicken. It is at this point that you can add the remaining ingredients and press into the molds or pine cones.
Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
When they have hardened, unmold and wrap the cakes/cones in waxed paper. These can now be stored indefinitely in the freezer.