Homemade Bird Suet

 

I have been really enjoying my new bird watching hobby! I am getting so many varieties of birds at my feeders, its so neat to see the array of colors out there. I have been using store bought suet cakes and they have needless to say devoured them! Today is a particular cold day in Western NY, especially where I am in the Southern Tier, and I noticed all of there suet cakes were gone, and although there is a feeder out there they prefer the cakes, knowing that is so cold and my birds need there food, I stumbled on a recipe for homemade suet with most things already in

your cupboard! Less cost and less trips to buy more! After making the mix and putting

it out my birds are going crazy over it! Here is the recipe I used:

 

1 cup of vegetable shortening or lard

 1 cup of peanut butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups of dry ingredients such as cornmeal,

oatmeal, birdseed mix, dried fruit or sunflower seeds.

You can add more than one of those ingredients.

 

Mix the vegetable shortening and peanut butter into a large, microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave the mixture on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shortening is liquefied. Stir the all-purpose flour into the melted vegetable shortening and peanut butter. Continue stirring until the mixture is one uniform color. Stir in up to 4 cups of dry ingredients such as cornmeal, oatmeal, birdseed mix, dried fruit or sunflower seeds.
Knead the mixture together by hand until it forms a dough the approximate consistency of cookie dough. ( I didnt knead mine I just stirred it by hand.)

Press the homemade suet into an 8-inch square pan. You dont need to grease the pan because the vegetable shortening will prevent the suet from sticking.

Place the pan in a cool, dry spot and wait for the suet to cool completely. I put mine in the freezer.

Cut the cool homemade bird food suet into chunks and hang them from trees in mesh bags or place them in suet bird feeders.

My birds are going crazy for this! I hope you have as much success as I am! Leave me a comment!
I will post pics soon!