Soap~ Part 1 Of 2 Recipe
Yield: 6 PoundsRecipe by luhu.jp
Ingredients:
9 lbs: Suet, also called tallow or beef fat
1 package: Lye, see note
3 cup: Water,
2 cup: Lemon juice,
1/4 ounce: Volatile fragrance oil (optional, see note)
Directions:
TOOLS YOU WILL NEED: 1) A large pot (metal or ceramic) -- at least 2
gallons -- with a lid (for rendering the fat). 2) One long wooden
spoon -- at least 10 inches -- that you can sacrifice, because the
lye will eat away the wood. 3) A large ceramic (or glass) bowl
capable of holding all the water, lemon juice and fat, with some room
to spare. (I use a ceramic tub that is about 6 inches high and 24
inches in diameter; do not use metal, as it will corrode. Even
stainless steel will corrode.) 4) Finally, you will need some glass,
ceramic and/or wooden molds to pour the soap into. (I use glass
baking dishes; two 8 1/2 x 14-inch glass pans will make bars of soap
that are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Again, DO NOT USE METAL
CONTAINERS, as they will corrode.)
STEP 1: Render the fat. To do this, cut the fat into hand-sized
pieces and place in a large pot and cover it. Heat on medium until
all the fat is melted. You should stir it occasionally. You should
probably plan to turn the fan on high or open your kitchen windows
while you are doing this. (Note that if you are starting with a pure
fat, such as coconut oil or olive oil, you dont need to do this.
Skip to Step 4.)
STEP 2: Cool the fat so that it is below the boiling point of water.
Add an equal volume of water to the fat, and bring the mixture to a
boil. Cover and let cool over night.
STEP 3: Take the fat out of the pot. I find the easiest way to do
this is to slice the fat in half with a knife and then cut wedges.
You can push the first wedge down into the water and then lift its
neighboring wedge out. Scrape all the non-fat gunk off the bottom of
the fat (the side of the fat that was at the fat-water interface).
STEP 4: Measure out about six pounds of rendered fat (be accurate
with this measurement). Cut the fat into small pieces (about the size
of a tennis ball, but squarish, not round) and place in a bowl.
STEP 5: Set up your soap-making work area. It should be outside, in
a very well-ventilated area. Its supposed to help to do it on a
warmer day rather than a cooler day, but Ive never noticed the
difference. Also, clear your stove top and open the window in the
kitchen before you start making the soap.
On a table, put your ceramic tub, the bowl of fat, the opened
container of lye, a container with the water, and a container with
the lemon juice. If you will be adding scent, keep its container
nearby. Also place your soap mold containers nearby. PUT ON ALL YOUR
SAFETY GEAR.
STEP 6: Make the soap: Pour the water into the ceramic tub. Very
carefully pour the lye into the tub. This is an exothermic reaction:
it gives off heat, which is used to melt the fat. It also gives off
odors which you dont want to breathe, so keep your head back. Stir
the lye to dissolve it in the water. Then start adding the fat to the
water/lye mixture, stirring with the long wooden spoon. Add the fat a
bit at a time and stir until its all melted. Then stir in the lemon
juice, scent (if you are using it), and pour into molds. When the
soap is firmer but not yet hard, cut into bars with a knife. It
should be hard in an hour or so; you can test it with your finger.
STEP 7: Wrap in clean cotton rags and store in a cool, airy place
for 3-6 months.
STEP 8: When you clean up the pan that you made the soap it, be
somewhat careful as there is probably still some unreacted lye in the
pan. The only time Ive had a problem with this is when Ive tried to
scrape the dry soap that lines the pan off with my fingernail and
then a few minutes later I notice that the skin under my fingernail
is burning. The easiest solution is just to wear gloves when youre
cleaning the pan. It probably also helps to wash with extremely hot
water so that the remaining soap (and fat if there is any) melts and
dissolves in the water.
: Continued in Part 2
: Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust
Source from luhu.jp
gallons -- with a lid (for rendering the fat). 2) One long wooden
spoon -- at least 10 inches -- that you can sacrifice, because the
lye will eat away the wood. 3) A large ceramic (or glass) bowl
capable of holding all the water, lemon juice and fat, with some room
to spare. (I use a ceramic tub that is about 6 inches high and 24
inches in diameter; do not use metal, as it will corrode. Even
stainless steel will corrode.) 4) Finally, you will need some glass,
ceramic and/or wooden molds to pour the soap into. (I use glass
baking dishes; two 8 1/2 x 14-inch glass pans will make bars of soap
that are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Again, DO NOT USE METAL
CONTAINERS, as they will corrode.)
STEP 1: Render the fat. To do this, cut the fat into hand-sized
pieces and place in a large pot and cover it. Heat on medium until
all the fat is melted. You should stir it occasionally. You should
probably plan to turn the fan on high or open your kitchen windows
while you are doing this. (Note that if you are starting with a pure
fat, such as coconut oil or olive oil, you dont need to do this.
Skip to Step 4.)
STEP 2: Cool the fat so that it is below the boiling point of water.
Add an equal volume of water to the fat, and bring the mixture to a
boil. Cover and let cool over night.
STEP 3: Take the fat out of the pot. I find the easiest way to do
this is to slice the fat in half with a knife and then cut wedges.
You can push the first wedge down into the water and then lift its
neighboring wedge out. Scrape all the non-fat gunk off the bottom of
the fat (the side of the fat that was at the fat-water interface).
STEP 4: Measure out about six pounds of rendered fat (be accurate
with this measurement). Cut the fat into small pieces (about the size
of a tennis ball, but squarish, not round) and place in a bowl.
STEP 5: Set up your soap-making work area. It should be outside, in
a very well-ventilated area. Its supposed to help to do it on a
warmer day rather than a cooler day, but Ive never noticed the
difference. Also, clear your stove top and open the window in the
kitchen before you start making the soap.
On a table, put your ceramic tub, the bowl of fat, the opened
container of lye, a container with the water, and a container with
the lemon juice. If you will be adding scent, keep its container
nearby. Also place your soap mold containers nearby. PUT ON ALL YOUR
SAFETY GEAR.
STEP 6: Make the soap: Pour the water into the ceramic tub. Very
carefully pour the lye into the tub. This is an exothermic reaction:
it gives off heat, which is used to melt the fat. It also gives off
odors which you dont want to breathe, so keep your head back. Stir
the lye to dissolve it in the water. Then start adding the fat to the
water/lye mixture, stirring with the long wooden spoon. Add the fat a
bit at a time and stir until its all melted. Then stir in the lemon
juice, scent (if you are using it), and pour into molds. When the
soap is firmer but not yet hard, cut into bars with a knife. It
should be hard in an hour or so; you can test it with your finger.
STEP 7: Wrap in clean cotton rags and store in a cool, airy place
for 3-6 months.
STEP 8: When you clean up the pan that you made the soap it, be
somewhat careful as there is probably still some unreacted lye in the
pan. The only time Ive had a problem with this is when Ive tried to
scrape the dry soap that lines the pan off with my fingernail and
then a few minutes later I notice that the skin under my fingernail
is burning. The easiest solution is just to wear gloves when youre
cleaning the pan. It probably also helps to wash with extremely hot
water so that the remaining soap (and fat if there is any) melts and
dissolves in the water.
: Continued in Part 2
: Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust
Source from luhu.jp
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