Al's Musings

note: While suet is an inexpensive way to help your birds year-round, you may every now and then want to experiment with making your own suet. (be prepared - it's pretty messy!)

Humorist Al Batt shares some of his "Suet Hotdish" recipes with us:

Suet Hotdish Recipes

#1
1 cup melted lard or beef suet
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups quick oats
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar (optional)

Melt lard and peanut butter together on a low burner. Take off heat, and add remaining ingredients. Spread on a cookie sheet, and allow to cool in the refrigerator until the mixture is just hard enough to cut into pieces. Store in freezer bags and use as needed.

#2
5 parts old-fashioned oatmeal
1 part peanut butter
1 part bacon grease, melted suet, or lard
Mix well and put into 1" holes drilled into a suspended log suet feeder.

#3
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup lard
1 cup flour
3 cups corn meal
Mix well; you could add birdseed and finely chopped unsalted peanuts.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

#4
Put one-third cup of oatmeal and two-thirds cup of water in a pan.  Bring to a boil and cook for 45 seconds. Take off heat and add 2 tablespoons of lard and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Stir until melted, then add one-third cup of cornmeal and one-half cup oatmeal.  Add more oatmeal if needed to form a ball.  

#5
Here’s a simple recipe for suet that doesn’t melt quickly in the summer’s heat.
4 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup shortening
Combine all the ingredients; mix well. Place in a suet feeder.