Brigitte took these photos of me making suet last night
Here in northern California it can get really hot in July and August. We’re talking sometimes over 115 degrees! So I began making my own “no melt suet” and the birds absolutely LOVE it!
Sure I have put out the store bought stuff and they will eat it. But I have to tell you, if I put out a store bought suet cake and one of mine at the same time, the birds will go through 3 or 4 of my suet cakes before the store bought one is anywhere near gone.
So, I thought all of you might want my recipe along with a couple of tips on how I make my suet so you can have birds pecking your door down and screaming at you to fill up the suet feeder when it’s empty.
My first secret is to use actual suet. This is not necessary as you can simply use lard for your suet, however, I have found that the birds like the real thing better. I go to the meat department in my local grocery store and ask for the suet. They always have plenty of fat that they trim off their beef and it always has some meat attached to it also. I put it through a meat grinder, several pounds at a time, then freeze what I don’t use immediately. I divide the ground suet into 2 cup portions, seal them in bags and freeze.
If you want to you can mix 1/2 suet and 1/2 lard for this recipe:
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1 cup suet or lard
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1 cup crunchy peanut butter
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2 cups “quick cook” oatmeal
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2 cups yellow cornmeal
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1 cup all purpose flour
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1/3 cup sugar
If you want to you can throw in some ground nuts also (another secret that keeps the birds coming back for more). This is pretty easy to make but I usually triple (at least) the recipe so I don’t have to make it every few weeks and it stores very well in the freezer.
Melt the suet and peanut butter in a large pot. Stir in the remaining ingredients, a couple of cups at a time. The mix should be the consistancy of cookie dough. If it’s too runny, add more flour. Spoon it into suet trays (I keep trays from store bought suet) or a shallow pyrex baking dish that you can cut into squares after refrigerating.
Press the dough down into the forms to remove all the air and you have a solid suet cake. If you are going to use some right away, place it in the refrigerator until solid and freeze the rest sealed in plastic.
That’s it! No melt suet that will stand 115 degree temperatures in the summer. If you can, use real suet, add some fresh ground nuts to the mix and the birds won’t leave you alone! Enjoy.
Happy Birding!
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Glad to hear that your birds like it Carol!
I’ve been using a recipe similar to this for years, after seeing it in a Bird Watchers Digest. After a break from bird feeding, I’m back at it but the squirrels are giving the sommercial cakes a fit and have finally figured out every trick I know. However, I haven’t tried adding hot pepper to the mix. Has anyone tried that, with success. If so how much to 2 pounds of lard?
@Juel I found this recipe online:
1 cup lard
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 cups rolled cereal oats
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
6 fresh habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers
4 tbsp. powdered cayenne pepper
Pulverize the fresh habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
Put the lard and the peanut butter in a glass microwave-safe bowl, and melt them in the microwave. Stir the melted lard mixture very well.
Combine the cornmeal, sugar and powdered cayenne pepper in a large glass mixing bowl. Blend well.
Pour the lard mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix everything very well. Spoon in the pulverized peppers. Add the rolled oats a cup at a time, and blend following each addition. The suet should become so thick that you won’t be able to stir it. If it isn’t quite thick enough, keep adding a little more rolled oats.
Looking at the ingredients I would say you could add the same amount of peppers and cayenne to my recipe for no melt. I will try it on my next batch!
You can use either type of suet, beef or pork. I think you just need to cook the fat slower and I also think it probably helps to grind it up first 😉
Larry, I received a gift once of a huge pinecones with suet pushed into all the nooks and crannies of the cone. However, about 1/2 hour after hanging in my big tree a couple of crows came and stole it. I love crows, think they are funny and amazing birds, but didn’t mean it for them (little buggers)!
Any ideas on that one?
Can’t wait to try! Thanks
Hello. When helping our feathered friends, it would be best to first check with ornithological societies what foods are safe to feed them. Salt is toxic to gardens birds. Their bodies are unable to process it, and it affects their nervous systems. Birds become very thirsty and dehydrated when they ingest salt, meaning they would drink more, potentially exacerbating the problem. They would also suffer kidney dysfunction. Most peanut butters are not salt free. I buy Flutter Butter, which is salt free, from a bird food supplier and add a good dollop into my mix. I’m thinking of making my own from the peanuts I buy (guaranteed aflatoxin free).
The RSPB also advises to avoid sugar.
I sometimes add into my suetcake mix, dried mealworms which I have crushed.
Thank you Sheila for this important information. My solution to the salt problem will be to grind unsalted peanuts into peanut butter at my local grocery store and remove the sugar from the mix.
Hi Jan. As I’m sure you know, Crows, Ravens, and all members of the Corvid family are highly intelligent and curious birds. Since Crows actually use tools https://youtu.be/AVaITA7eBZE you will have a tough time keeping them from a simple feeder 😉
For those who are worried about the suet smelling up the house, melting it with the peanut butter will make your house smell like you’re baking peanut butter cookies! Little or no suet smell.
I don’t know where my first comment went to but it’s out there some where…anyway, thank you for the great recipe and for the newer version next to the last of the comments…salt is not good for any bird or animal that I know of….I would use unsalted peanuts for sure in the recipe….it is always good to read comments because you learn so much. Thank you for the recipe, it will definitely help the bird feeding budget.
Oh, my heavens to Betsy! I made this recipe for the first time about two weeks ago. Tripled it as recommended. Every bird in town made a beeline to my feeders. I just quintupled the next batch. I love that it doesn’t melt and make a big mess on the deck. My birdies thank you and I thank you.
I made my first double batch but I only used one cup of the flour and no sugar….I forgot to put the sugar in I am sure. It was an omission that I wanted to do. But it turned out great! I put two out this morning and hear it is 1pm in the afternoon and there is less than a quarter left. The birds have been at it all day. And I did put the bird seed into the mix…think that helped as well. Thank you for the fine recipe and I like doing it myself because store bought is too expensive anymore.
Thank you again.
Hello and Thank you for such great recipe! I’ve not tried it yet but I am getting ready to get all the supplies. My parents have a front row seat to a small tree full of beautiful birds right at their kitchen table and I’m trying to plan ahead for Christmas gifts lol. I think this would be an awesome gift for them and would like them in the freezer asap for less work later. My only question would be is if using old suet feeder packaging, about how many blocks do you get from one recipe? These are going to multiple people and I would like to make sure to have enough. Thanks again!!
Hi Shelly, If memory serves, I think it makes about six cakes. I usually double or triple the recipe so I don’t have to make them again for awhile but I think the original recipe makes six cakes.
Can I use shortening? or is it lard that makes it non-meltable. Old fashioned recipes that call for lard for baking now use shortening, but I’m wondering if the lard is a key ingredient for this. Thank you.
I don’t really know the answer to that Susan. I think that suet or lard is probably better for the birds because it is a natural fat, mostly monounsaturated, which is healthier than the 16% saturated fat in shortening which also includes palm oil. All I know is that real suet is still the best!
We make this two times a year and always make them for the little extra christmas gift for your bird lovers on your list. Our birds love this suit I couldn’t believe when the pleated wood pecker came daily for his fill. It was amazing to watch. I recommend this suet over any other one. It may cost. A bit more but it’s worth it when you see just how much they love it. You’ll love to watch all the different birds that show up for a taste. I hope you try it. We always make in large recipes and freeze it and it last us 6 months then we make more with perfect timing for running out at Christmas so our friend get several fresh packages of suet for their birds.
Thanks for the best homemade suet our feather friends thank you too!!!!!!
Sherry Lee
I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. I found this during my Pinterest search. I have been using this for about a year now and my little birdies love it. My squirrels do as well. I have since bought a corn feeder for the squirrels so they will leave the suet for the birds. I noticed some store bought suet that had cayenne pepper in it to deter the squirrels. I decided to give that a try and add to the mixture and now the squirrels leave the suet alone and the birds don’t notice it. Just thought I would share if anyone had a squirrel issue like me. Thanks again and happy bird watching!
Hi Larry,
Curious…did removing the sugar from your recipe make a difference with the birds, melting, etc…
Thanks!!
Sorry Kim but I haven’t made any new stuff. I just put out my last suet cake yesterday. Don’t know when I’ll have a chance to make another batch.