How to Use Atora Suet

Shredded suet is a very British cooking ingredient - but it was actually invented by a Frenchman!

Suet has been used as an ingredient of British puddings since at least the early 17th Century. In the early days the preparation of suet was a very lengthy process. The fat had to be removed from the animal carcass, boiled with water to remove impurities, then boiled some more and finally it had to be cut into pieces suitable for use in baked or steamed puddings.

The introduction of shredded suet (by the Frenchman who lived in Manchester, UK) saved cooks a lot of trouble. Shredded suet is an everyday household ingredient for many British dishes today. Canada has banned the import of meat products from the UK but Atora light Vegetable Suet is readily available in British import stores like Blighty's Tuck Store. In one sense that is a blessing because vegetable suet is not only suitable for vegeterians, but it also contains 25% less fat which makes it healthier too.

Fact
Atora makes enough shredded suet in its factory in the north-east of England to make one million dumplings a day!

Atora provides a lot of recipes and helpful information on its website at www.atora.co.uk, including these great tips for better results:

• Always use one part suet to two parts flour for pastry, dumplings and puddings.
• Never leave uncooked dumplings standing, cook immediately for best results.
• Always simmer dumplings - do not boil, otherwise the mixture will break up.
• For extra light dumplings never open the lid during cooking.
• When making pastry, always use suet at room temperature for best results.
• Before cooking baked suet dishes, always make sure the oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
• Fill pudding basins only two-thirds full to allow room for expansion.
• When steaming puddings make sure the water is boiling before the pudding is placed in the steamer or pan. Always top up the level with boiling water from a kettle.
• Cover puddings with a double layer of foil, sealing the edges well. To allow room for the pudding to expand during cooking, fold a pleat in the foil before covering.