# Using Crisco



## Lin (Dec 3, 2013)

I was wondering who uses crisco in soap? What percentages of the crisco do you use? Any issues with rancidity or DOS due to the soybean oil? Good things to combine with crisco in soap? 

I had to buy some crisco for a (food) recipe I was doing, I wanted to follow it to the T. Unfortunately this was right before thanksgiving, and so all the small cans of crisco were gone and I was stuck buying a pretty gigantic can of crisco. Its mostly soybean with 25% palm I believe. I went with the brand name crisco over the walmart brand because the walmart brand was all soybean with no palm. Since I don't cook with shortening and 95% of it was probably going to end up soap instead I went with the brand name. This stuff has good shelf life, right? LOL.


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## Obsidian (Dec 3, 2013)

My first batch was 30% crisco and 6 months later it hasn't developed any DOS.


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## Crombie (Dec 3, 2013)

*Crisco*

I love Crisco in soap and I have used at 62.5% with no DOS or other issues.


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## lsg (Dec 3, 2013)

I have used both the new Crisco and the generic Great Value brand shortening.  I like both.  If you are worried about DOS you can put a few drops of either Vit. E or a couple of drops of rosemary oleoresin extract in with your oils before adding the lye solution.


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## NurseEmily (Dec 3, 2013)

^^ me too.  I've used the generic Crisco in the last 4 batches of hot process soap I've made with no negative effects.


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## Lin (Dec 4, 2013)

Good to know you guys haven't had problems! I was a bit nervous with the high percentage of soybean and all the negative things I've heard about soybean oil in soap. But I haven't found palm yet so I figured it would be interesting to use it for the palm part.


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## Obsidian (Dec 4, 2013)

Lin, target should sell spectrum brand shortening which is pure palm.


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## Ravenscourt Apothecary (Dec 4, 2013)

*Lin*,
here's a link to a page where single oil soaps were made, photographed, and discussed both fresh and after six months of curing. Crisco is #4. The soap maker said it made a near perfect bar and it had no change, no DOS whatsoever after half a year.


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## Obsidian (Dec 4, 2013)

I think you read the 6 month report wrong, after 6 months the 100% crisco bar was covered with DOS and unusable. While I do use crisco, I'd never use a high percentage.


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## Ravenscourt Apothecary (Dec 4, 2013)

*Obsidian, *
My bad, you're right, I looked at Soy Wax (since it's the fourth on the list).


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## Soap Techniques (Dec 4, 2013)

Ravenscourt Apothecary said:


> here's a link to a page where single oil soaps were made, photographed, and discussed both fresh and after six months of curing. Crisco is #4.


 
Zen Soaps did the single oil swap back in 2003. 
In 2007, Crisco developed a new formula, it's completely different now.


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## Soap Techniques (Dec 4, 2013)

old formula Crisco:
Partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, mono and diglycerides

new formula Crisco:
Soybean oil, fully hydrogenated palm oil, partially hydrogenated palm and soybean oils, mono and diglycerides, TBHQ and citric acid (antioxidants).


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## Obsidian (Dec 4, 2013)

I wonder what a 100% crisco would be like now then? Maybe I should whip up a small batch since I have a huge tub of the stuff.


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## Soap Techniques (Dec 4, 2013)

It moves quite fast, makes hard bar, very white, doesn't lather a lot. Very mild for skin after being cured for 6 weeks.


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## Lin (Dec 5, 2013)

Target, as well as Whole Foods are on my list for trying to find the spectrum shortening. I get my avocado and sweet almond oils at whole foods, but they're super far away so I'm not close enough to stop very often. Similar for target, there isn't one near me but if I end up near one I'll definitely stop and look. I'm also going to check again at Kroger, they carry spectrum oils (I get spectrum coconut there) but maybe it would be in a slightly different place than where I'm looking since its shortening. 

My boyfriend did just order some palm kernel oil, he was placing a wholesale supplies plus order and I asked him to get some for me. He's also getting sodium lactate, plus I wanted to try salt for hardening bars. So I've got lots to experiment with on my soft palm free recipes. I assume the spectrum brand shortening is sustainable?


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## Lildlege1 (Dec 5, 2013)

I use GV shortening so far so good.


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## jd_198818 (Dec 5, 2013)

Lin said:


> Target, as well as Whole Foods are on my list for trying to find the spectrum shortening. I get my avocado and sweet almond oils at whole foods, but they're super far away so I'm not close enough to stop very often. Similar for target, there isn't one near me but if I end up near one I'll definitely stop and look. I'm also going to check again at Kroger, they carry spectrum oils (I get spectrum coconut there) but maybe it would be in a slightly different place than where I'm looking since its shortening.
> 
> My boyfriend did just order some palm kernel oil, he was placing a wholesale supplies plus order and I asked him to get some for me. He's also getting sodium lactate, plus I wanted to try salt for hardening bars. So I've got lots to experiment with on my soft palm free recipes. I assume the spectrum brand shortening is sustainable?



i had a heck of a time locating it even in the places that sold spectrum products.... until i checked the organic section! organic palm spectrum shortening has been in my recipes ever since


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## Lin (Dec 5, 2013)

Thats where I go is the organic section, and have never found it. I'm wondering if maybe its elsewhere since its shortening.


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## Ruthie (Dec 5, 2013)

I also use the GV shortening- the one that contains meat fats.  Have soaps over a year old and they are fine.


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## new soaper (Dec 6, 2013)

If a recipe calls for palm oil can I use lard instead?


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 6, 2013)

While I can't get Crisco here in Austria, there are a number of cooking products that are useful.  Coconut oil sold in 250g (8.8 oz) blocks, 1kg (35 oz) blocks of 80% Palm oil and 20% rapeseed.

That is why my recipes often include these basics


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## Soap Techniques (Dec 6, 2013)

new soaper said:


> If a recipe calls for palm oil can I use lard instead?


 
Yes, but whenever you use different oils, you need to recalculate the lye.


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## Soapsense (Dec 9, 2013)

What do you write on the label for Crisco, Lard?  I just used both to make x-mas presents for the first time in place of Palm Oil, as I forgot to buy it.  I only
make soap for christmas, family, friends, co-workers, but I still want them to know what's in there in case they have an aversion to it or a reaction.
I have to say I have used several from the batches and I really like the soap made with them.  I may not buy anymore palm oil if my friends like it. 
I used Manteca and Snow Cap Lard, and real Crisco.


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## Lin (Dec 9, 2013)

I would just put exactly what you used, Crisco, Lard, or both on the ingredients list. If you want to be more specific for the Crisco you can label it as whatever your crisco is. For example Soybean oil and Palm. If you list the ingredients in the order of most to least like professional labels just make sure to put them in the right places when separating the crisco into soybean and palm. Or you could write Crisco and in parenthesis write 75% soybean oil 15% Palm oil to be specific.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 9, 2013)

I would put the ingredients from the product on there. For example, I wouldn't put "20% Cremena" on my listing, but "16% Palm oil, 4% Rapeseed oil"

Edit, I think adding names of foods like that might turn people off a little bit.


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## Soapsense (Dec 9, 2013)

Thanks everyone,  I looked at the Crisco label and found the listing for Soybean and Palm.
What about the Lard?  Both labels, basically just said Lard & Hydrogenated Lard.  The Armour one does say "Manteca" on it. Maybe I don't want to know what is in Lard, lol.


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## Lin (Dec 9, 2013)

Lard is in Lard, lol. So I'd just write that. Lard is pig fat, tallow is usually beef fat but can also be specified another animal such as deer tallow etc.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 9, 2013)

Contains 100% lard would be standard on a packet for lard


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