cooking
Homemade suet recipes

There are many suet recipes on the internet to chose from...but which one to use?  Here is a suggestion...birds do need suet all year round, during nesting season and to make it through a harsh winter.  So during the summer, use peanut butter as a base, during the winter, use lard.

Homemade Suet Recipes:

Peanut Butter-Crisco

  • 5 pound can of Crisco
  • 1 large jar crunchy peanut butter
  • Melt over low heat and remove pot from stove
  • Stir in 5 pounds of corn meal
  • Add 3 pounds of white flour

Stir until mixture is a flaky consistency. You can add or subtract flour as desired.

 Lard-Peanut Butter-

  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 cup (yellow) cornmeal
  • 3 cups oats ("Quaker" cereal type)
  • 1 cup sugar (less is ok, but the full cup is great for a winter calorie boost in cold climates)

Melt lard and peanut butter together (microwave works fine - keep an eye on things). Stir until blended. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients, except for the oatmeal. Then, pour-in the melted lard and peanut butter. Next, start adding the oatmeal 3 or so cups at a time. The "suet" should be thick. Add extra oats if it is not thick enough, until it is too stiff to stir.

Pour the mixture into a greased pan (or glass pans - no extra greasing needed), cool in refrigerator and cut or spoon into the proper shape for your feeder. If you don't use it up quickly it can be frozen until needed. You can add extra chopped peanuts, chopped raisins, chopped sunflower hearts, and powdered sterilized eggshells. 

 Suet-Cornmeal

  • 1 pound suet cut in small 1" pieces 
  • 1 cup rolled oats (quick cooking is best)
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup chunky peanut butter 
  • 1 cup mixed wild bird seed
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds

Melt suet in pot or microwave.

  1. Stir in remaining ingredients and blend well.

  2. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins.

  3. Chill until hardened or freeze.

 Beef Suet

  • 1 part melted beef suet
  • 1 part chunky or smooth peanut butter
  • 6 parts cornmeal 

To the melted suet add peanut butter and cornmeal.

  • Spoon into paper-lined muffin tins and cool.

  • Store in the freezer until you're ready to use.

 Bread Crumb Suet- With Apples

  

  • 1/2 pound of suet
  • 2 cups bread crumbs
  • 1 cup unsalted nuts
  • 3 chopped apples
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup of cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup white or whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup of smooth or creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup wild bird seed

Mix all ingredients, adding enough suet as required to hold the 'cakes' together.

  1. Shape into balls or press into pine cones.

  2. Freeze and use as needed.