01
Cream Cheese
6.7best for soup1 cup : 1 cup
Cold, cubed for pie crust; makes tender flaky dough
6.7
shortening substitute
in soup.
In Soup, Shortening provides the fat base for a roux or sautéed aromatics that build the broth's body. Its water-free composition lets flour toast evenly in the roux without sputtering; a swap must be a neutral fat that can coat flour starch granules without adding competing flavors to the final broth.
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adjustment for this dish
Cream cheese at 1:1 adds 33% water and 10% milk protein to the soup base; whisk in only in the last 5 minutes of simmer because longer exposure at 200°F breaks the dairy into curdled specks. The body gets richer and thicker — reduce any added cream by half, and skim less since the proteins absorb the fat cap.
02
Palm Oil
5.0best for soup1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Same semi-solid consistency
5.0
adjustment for this dish
Palm oil at 1:1 tbsp sautés aromatics at an identical 300°F sweet spot to shortening; no ratio change, but the oil's deeper yellow tints a clear consommé — switch to refined palm oil or skim harder at the 30-minute mark. Depth and body from the aromatics come through unchanged.
03
Lard
6.77/8 cup : 1 cup
Same solid fat texture and very high smoke point; makes exceptionally flaky pie crust
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Lard at 0.875:1 carries pork depth that layers into bean, split-pea, or cabbage soups but overpowers delicate chicken or fish broths; match the lard to the protein, and skim the fat cap 5 minutes earlier because lard separates faster than shortening during the reduce.
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04
Butter
6.71 1/8 cup : 1 cup
Use equal amount butter; adds richer flavor and golden color to baked goods and pie crusts
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Butter at 1.125:1 carries 15% water and milk solids that brown the sautéed aromatics at 250°F, long before shortening's 325°F browning point; lower the heat to 275°F and watch for foam subsiding before adding stock, or the nutty browned-butter note hijacks the clean broth depth.
05
Coconut Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Same solid texture, works well in baking
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Coconut oil at 1:1 fits only coconut-curry or Southeast Asian soups where the tropical note is wanted; refined reads more neutral but still carries a hint. Skim harder at the simmer stage — coconut oil re-solidifies at 76°F and forms a heavier fat cap than shortening as the soup cools toward service.
06
Cooking And Salad Oil
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Use 7/8 cup liquid oil per cup shortening; works in quick breads and cakes, not flaky pastry
3.3
07
Margarine
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Softer texture; chill before cutting into pastry dough, works 1:1 in cookies and cakes
3.3
08
Ghee
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Adds nutty flavor, slightly softer pastry texture
3.3
09
Avocado Oil
3.33/4 cup : 1 cup
Use 3/4 cup liquid oil; best for quick breads
3.3
10
Vegetable Oil
3.33/4 cup : 1 cup
Use 3/4 cup oil per 1 cup shortening; works in quick breads and cookies, not flaky pastries
3.3
technique for soup
technique
Shortening in soup builds body by carrying fat-soluble aromatics like bay, thyme, and black pepper into the broth without contributing the milk-solid scorching you get when butter browns in a long simmer. Sauté diced onion and celery in 2 tablespoons shortening at 300°F for 8 minutes until translucent but not colored, then deglaze with stock and simmer 45 minutes uncovered so the liquid reduces by 25% and the depth concentrates.
Skim the clear fat cap that rises at the 30-minute mark — that's the shortening separating from the broth as the proteins coagulate, and leaving it in makes the soup feel greasy on the palate. Season with salt only in the last 5 minutes so you can taste against the reduced base.
Unlike stir-fry where shortening shock-sears aromatics in 45 seconds at 400°F, in soup it slow-extracts them over a full hour at a sub-boil, and the fat must be skimmed rather than absorbed. Stir once every 10 minutes and blend only partially if you want body without losing the broth's clarity.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Don't boil the broth hard once shortening is in — rolling boil emulsifies the fat into the stock and you lose the clear skim that belongs off the top.
watch out
Avoid browning the aromatics past translucent; shortening past 325°F carries a scorched depth that follows the soup through every reduce step and can't be salted out.
watch out
Skip seasoning with salt early; the reduce concentrates everything, and a soup that tastes right at minute 15 is oversalted by minute 45.
watch out
Don't leave the fat cap unskimmed at the 30-minute simmer; unskimmed shortening coats the tongue and flattens the body you built from the bay and stock.
watch out
Rest the blend step to partial — a full blend with shortening makes the soup emulsified but cloudy, and the broth loses its clean warm finish.