A baker's complaint

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Moe C on 20 Dec 2025 at 07:39

As things go, this is not a biggie, but it has bugged me my whole life and has not been fixed in all that time. Why can't the makers of shortening and lard wrap the stuff in a way that doesn't get greasy fat in every nook and fold of the paper and all over the hands? Butter wrappers don't have that problem. Then, after cutting the block of shortening, try refolding the paper so it fits neatly back in the box (which wants to blow out at the ends, itself). I know shortening comes in cans, but for some reason (cheapness?) I have chosen to wrestle with 1lb boxes forever.

I know there is a better way, but don't understand why Crisco's never come up with it.

Rather that wrestling with the box, just stick the open one in a 1/9 stainless gastronome and put the lid on. Then you use the paper wrapper as a sling to get it in and out of the gastronome. Also - super simple to dishwasher the gastronome. As to your preference, in a production setting wrapper over tin makes all sorts of sense from a working standpoint.
Toast

Imissgoodkaiserrolls on 22 Dec 2025 at 16:30

How about taping up the ends of the box before you open the paper wrapper? That should let it stick even if you manage to get grease outside the box. Also you did not say and I do not use shortening, wouldn't keeping it chilled help with keeping it neat?

There are workarounds, and I think from now on I'll put the block of fat in another container. When I do that, I will still get shortening on my hands unwrapping it. And that's the manufacturing problem which seems to be not worth solving in a lifetime. Weird.