Request or contribute your recipes here. You can also try doing a search, as there are some old recipe posts which have not or cannot be moved over to this forum.
I have been asked to set up a prac for making soap. This in itself is not a problem as we have made it several times before. However the teacher has requested beef dripping. Does anyone have any idea where I can purchase it from and what it would be called? I tried googling it but to no avail. Many thanks in advance.
I see that you are in the ACT Tigger so I am sure that you have some Coles and/or Woolworths there. It is in the refrigerator section of the store around the margarine section. It is usually up high and goes by the name 'dripping'. It can be in a block like butter or in a tall plastic tub 'WIK dripping '.
Good luck
Maree
Maybe just suggest they use vegetable oil, as it is easier and cheaper to procure.
A little off track when I was a kid on the farm my mum use to make soap out of sheep fat when we slaughtered sheep. She would cook it up in a big pot and strain the sinew out of it and they make her soap VERY STINKY. The resulting soap did'nt smell very good either
I'm sure it's just the solidified fat from a cow... but you can't substitute butter - it doesn't have a high enough melting temperature. I wonder if suet or lard would do? But I'm with Rowy... phewwwwwwww!
So I reckon go for vegie or some other sort of plant oil too. Hopefully it would work?!
Well, beef dripping is often available at either Coles or Woolies, in the same part of the fridge as the Copha. SPEAKING of which... be aware at least of the composition of your class. When I worked in Canberra I had a very sincere Indian child who informed me that using beef dripping would cause him to be "contaminated" and cost his Dad money for him to be purified at the local temple. Seriously! So I played around on the net, and in my lab, and found a suitable recipe using copha instead, which is completely inoffensive to all, since it is plant based.
Thank you so much for your replys. It has been a great help. I will talk to the teacher regarding students religious beliefs. Many thanks for the tip Smiley.
Ah no Ocker my friend! Lard is pig fat, and it has slightly different properties to beef dripping. Makes wonderful soap, but again can run into probs with students of different faiths.
The first year I was here we followed the recipe for soap making out of the chem context book. I was still stirring 3 periods later, it wouldn't trace.
So since then I set up the following prac for them for soap making from a recipe I have used for years that traces fairly fast and they always get good results with.
Method
Heat fat stage to approx. 75degC. When thoroughly mixed, put aside to cool.
Add Lye to water and mix thoroughly. ALWAYS add the lye to water NOT water to lye
* The reaction of lye and water will cause increase in temperature to approx 92deg C. and has the potential to boil over.
When fat stage temperature is 66deg C and lye stage cools to 62deg. C., mix both mixtures together using the following method.
Begin to stir the liquid fat in a clockwase direction while pouring the lye mixture into it in a thin stream (pencil size or thinner) until it is all added. Stir the mix vigorously, using an "8" pattern until the mix begins to cool and thicken.
At this point do NOT stop or the mix may separate!
When your "trace" does not sink back into the surface, the soap is ready to pour into the soap mould. (cleaned milk cartons are great because they are waxed and the soap doesn't stick to it). Wear rubber gloves and treat the raw soap like you treat the lye water. Wash off all splatters immediately. Have a 10% vinegar and water and a sponge to neutralized splatters.
Tracing time for this soap can be about 5 minutes. As soon as mixture starts to trace, pour soap into moulds.
Leave in mould for 24 hours, sometimes placing in freezer for a couple of hours will allow the soap to release from the moulds easier. ( We just peel the milk cartons off carefully)
Cut the soap into bars and allow to harden for at least 3 weeks before using. Soap should be pH neutral by then.
Safety Precautions.
NaOH should not come in contact with the skin as it is corrosive.
Use gloves and safety glasses.
Avoid inhaling fumes. A fume cupboard is handy for this.
Use dishes that can withstand temperatures of at least 95deg. C
It sounds a bit complicated but it isn't really and so far it has always worked.
Instead of olive oil, yesterday I just sent out canola and vegetable oil and the soap has turned out fine.
Coconut oil I got from the health shop but you can use copha from the supermarket.
I have purchased the beef dripping and funnily enough it is called just that "Beef Dripping". You purchase it in the butter section of the dairy aisle. Thank you to everyone for your help and advice. It will be interesting to see how the soap turns out.
It has been a great help. I will talk to the teacher regarding students religious beliefs. Many thanks for the tip Smiley. 
