what is meant by the American term"shortening" ?!
Answers:
Trex is the only brand of shortening that I know of which is sold in the UK
Just asked the wife and she says it is a generic word for what ever fat you want to cook with. Some people use lard other like the taste of butter. Thought i would see what Betty Crocker has to say in her books, she said much the same thing. Anything from lard through to vegetable oil when used in pastry cooking is called shortening.
Shortening is hydrogenated vegetable oil. It is similar to margarine. Margarine is made to mimic the consistency of butter, whereas Shortening is made to mimic the consistency of rendered animal fat (lard, tallow, etc.)
It's vegtable oil solidified and it's better than lard as it's a safer form of fat.
Vegetable oil. It mimics the texture/usage of lard.
Anything hydrogenated is VERY unhealthy. thus shortening is
It is a white, semi-solidified vegetable oil.
It is a vegetable oil.
It is neither. Though it does come in a can.
veg oil