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You've seen that familiar blue container with the red and white label throughout your life on the grocery shelf and in your mother's kitchen. If you like to cook and bake, there's probably one on your pantry shelf right now.
It's Crisco, the vegetable shortening Proctor & Gamble introduced in 1911 that has since become an American staple. It's one of those products – like Kleenex and Band-Aids- now known by its brand name.
But did you know you can use Crisco for many purposes other than just baking? This article shares 22 creative uses for Crisco.
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What Is Crisco?
However, before we get into the uses, let's find out what Crisco shortening is exactly.
Shortening is a term for a solid fat. Today's Crisco shortening, which is currently owned by B&G Foods, is a blend of soybean oil, fully hydrogenated palm oil, and palm oil. According to the product label, one 12-gram serving of Crisco shortening contains 6 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 0 trans-fats.
You can use Crisco instead of or combined with butter or margarine in many recipes. In most cases, you can use a 1:1 ratio to substitute Crisco for butter. Since it has a higher melting point than butter, it helps food retain its shape. Many cooks say their baked goods are fluffier or flakier with Crisco. Another advantage is that Crisco has a long shelf life.
According to Crisco.com, an unopened can of Crisco will stay fresh for two years after its manufacture date. An opened can will last for about six months on your pantry shelf.
Uses for Crisco
In addition to working as a replacement for butter or margarine in some of your recipes, Crisco is one of those products that can come in handy in many other ways around your homestead. Here's our list of creative uses.
1. Leather Conditioner
Using a soft cloth, gently rub a dab of Crisco into your leather shoes, purses, belts, or jackets. Then, wipe away any excess. It helps soften the leather, prevent cracking, and renew shine.
2. Egg Preservation
You can extend the shelf life of your home-raised chicken eggs. Here are the steps to follow.
- Wash the eggs and pat dry.
- Gently rub Crisco over all sides of the eggs.
- Then, repeat the coating process.
- Store the eggs in a carton in a cool, dry place, and they should remain fresh for six to nine months.
For more tips on egg preservation using shortening, check out this article.
3. Skin Moisturizer
You can rub a dab of Crisco on your lips, hands, or other dry areas to add moisture and help soothe chapping or cracking.
4. Firestarter
It's hard to start a fire in the rain or when the kindling is damp. Applying some Crisco to your tinder helps it ignite more quickly.
5. Emergency Lighting
Melted Crisco works as an emergency lamp oil. You also can use liquidized Crisco on a rag as part of an emergency outdoor torch. Here's another idea. When you place a wick into a tub of Crisco, you instantly create a long-burning emergency candle.
Here's how to make a Crisco candle.
6. Calorie Booster
Speaking of emergencies…adding a spoonful of Crisco to your survival rations can help increase your calorie intake when food is scarce.
7. Screw Loosener
Add some Crisco to a rusty or stuck screw to help loosen it. Wait a few minutes, and you should be able to turn the screw.
8. Stainless Steel Cleaner
Use Crisco and a soft cloth to buff your stainless steel appliances. It safely and inexpensively removes smudges and restores shine.
9. Snow Shovel Helper
Apply a layer of Crisco to your snow shovel before heading outside. It helps prevent snow and ice clumps from sticking to the shovel, making your job easier and lighter.
10. Baby Ointment
What to do if your baby's bottom is sore and you've run out of ointment? Gently applying a small amount of Crisco can soothe the pain and reduce redness.
11. Squeak Silencer
Speaking of running out of things, Crisco makes an excellent substitute if you're out of WD-40. Apply a dab or two to a squeaky door hinge and open and shut the door a few times to allow the product to work in.
12. Cast Iron Cookware Seasoner
You can use Crisco to season cast iron cookware and to help prevent rust.
13. Sticky Label Remover
A little bit of Crisco can help remove the residue left behind from a sticker on plastic, glass, or other smooth surfaces. Apply Crisco and allow it to sit on the residue for several minutes. Then wipe clean.
14. Furniture Polish
Apply a small amount of Crisco to a soft cloth and gently rub it into wooden surfaces. It works as an inexpensive polish, adding shine and helping prevent dryness and cracks in the wood.
15. Headlight Cleaner
After a long road trip, your car's headlights can become coated with debris and bugs. Use a small amount of Crisco on a soft cloth to clean them. An advantage of applying a thin layer of Crisco to your headlights in the winter is that the product helps prevent snow and ice build-up
16. Tool Rust Protection
Keep your garden tools in top shape by applying a thin layer of Crisco to them after cleaning and drying them. It helps keep rust from forming.
17. Bike Chain Lubricant
You can apply Crisco to a sticking or squeaky bike chain if you're out of your regular bicycle lubricant.
18. Soap Making
In many soap recipes, you can use Crisco as a substitute for palm oil. Here's a basic recipe for beginners that uses Crisco, olive oil, coconut oil, lye, water, and essential oil.
19. Car Door Protection
Cold temperatures can cause your car doors to freeze, creating havoc for you when you need to be somewhere. As a preventative, try working a dab of Crisco around the edges and rubber seals of the doors before you head in for the night. The Crisco creates a barrier to the moisture that can seep in and freeze overnight.
20. Knot Detangler
You can use a small amount of Crisco to loosen knots in chains and cords. Be sure to wipe any residue away after you untangle the knot.
21. Cutting Board Preserver
Crisco helps protect and preserve your wooden cutting boards, rolling pins, and kitchen utensils. After cleaning and drying these items, rub in a small amount of Crisco with a clean, dry cloth.
22. Stuck Ring Remover
Try this trick the next time you can't get a tight ring off your finger. Working a tiny amount of Crisco around the base of your finger should allow the ring to slip off safely and easily.
Back in 1911, Procter & Gamble created the name “Crisco” for its shortening product from a shortened version of “crystallized cottonseed oil.” The following year, the company published and gave away a cookbook in which every recipe called for Crisco.
It proved to be a successful marketing tactic. By the mid-20th century, a can of Crisco was a familiar site in America's home kitchens. Now that you know its many uses, it might be time to get or replace a can of your own.
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