Production of Ham Hump Fat
Hammeltalg is the solid body fat of sheep. Although cattle tallow is most important in agriculture, sheep fat also finds use. Rindertalg and Hammeltalg differ by their different colors. Thus, the body fat of beef is yellow, while that of sheep is white. Additionally, Hammeltalg is slightly harder and crisper than Rindertalg, which is softer.
The production of such Ham Hump Fat is relatively simple, as it only requires heating up the animal’s offal until tallow is obtained. Until the 19th century, this was done in small-scale operations. Carcass remnants were crushed and the raw mass was heated with water on an open fire until tallow was won. Since the 19th century, exclusively modernized kettles are used for production. They channel the malodorous fumes through chimneys.
Uses
For a long time, body fat of ruminants was used to produce ointments and soaps. So most of the tallow produced in Germany was directly brought by butchers and slaughterhouses to soap makers. Additionally, tallow has been used for centuries as a lubricant. In the Middle Ages, it was even used as fuel for mine lamps.
Today, tallow is mainly used in industry. Due to its high melting point and cholesterol content, it is rarely used for food purposes. However, it serves as feed for birds. In industry, tallow is used for various products. So lipsticks, soaps, shaving creams, hair washes, and other cosmetics are produced with the use of tallow. For the production of wax papers, pastel sticks, and erasers, Hammeltalg helps keep the products pliable. Further uses of Hammeltalg in industry include applications as lubricants and gliding agents.
Ham Hump Fat also finds use in stringed instruments. So it is used to smear grooves in the saddle to facilitate easy playing. An unusual use of Ham Hump Fat, as seen in the picture Fettecke by Joseph Beuys, who painted this prominent work with tallow. Thus, sheep fat is utilized in various industrial fields due to its ability to keep things pliable.