INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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 don't 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. It's supposed to help to do it on a  warmer day
rather than a cooler day, but I've 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 don't 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 it's 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 I've had a problem with this is when I've
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 you're  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  From Gemini's MASSIVE
MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

A Message from our Provider:

“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord. #John MacArthur”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 58
Calories From Fat: 41
Total Fat: 4.7g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 4.5mg
Potassium: 85mg
Carbohydrates: 5.6g
Fiber: <1g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: <1g