What is Beef Tallow? Includes Recipe for Rendering Tallow! - Homemade Mommy (2024)

FAQs

How to make homemade beef tallow? ›

Slow Cooker Method

Cut the beef fat trimmings into small, uniform pieces and place them in the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to very low heat and cover with the lid. Allow the fat to slowly melt and render over several hours, typically 6 to 8 hours.

Tallow is simply beef fat that has been rendered (cooked down) to remove impurities. Rendered beef or sheep fat is called tallow. Rendered pig fat is called lard.

Commercial tallow commonly contains fat derived from other animals, such as lard from pigs, or even from plant sources. Tallow consists mainly of triglycerides (fat), whose major constituents are derived from stearic and oleic acids. The solid material remaining after rendering is called cracklings, greaves, or graves.

Tallow comes from the hard fatty tissue that surrounds organ meats, most often the kidneys and loins of the cow. Before it is rendered, this fat is called suet. Because it hasn't been processed yet, suet has a slightly tougher and grittier texture than tallow.

Properly stored beef tallow may last up to one year when stored in cool dark environments, while it could extend even further when kept frozen. Avoid direct sunlight and heat sources, accelerating oxidation processes and leading to spoilage. Regular usage helps maintain its freshness and quality.

4 cups of water and 1 tablespoons of salt. The water will keep the suet from burning resulting in a cleaner render. The salt is added to help extract impurities. Set your slow cooker on low and simmer for 6 to 8 hours or until the majority of the suet has melted.

Tallow is a rendered version of beef fat. It has a solid composition and becomes malleable at certain temperatures. Tallow typically derives from cattle or sheep fat during a process called rendering. Here, fatty tissue is boiled and spun through a centrifuge, which eventually separates the fat and other liquid.

Place the fat into your pan, then add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan by about half an inch. Place the pan over a medium flame, until the water starts to boil, then turn heat down to low. Cook gently for 1-2 hours, stirring every so often until most of the fat has rendered.

In terms of nutrient content, the highest-quality beef tallow comes from grass-fed cattle, as opposed to those conventionally raised on feedlots and fed grains.

What is the best beef fat for tallow? ›

Keep in mind that the best fat for rendering into tallow is the leaf fat that can be found near the cow's kidneys.

What are the main differences between tallow and lard? Tallow comes from beef and has a rich, savory flavor, perfect for frying and roasting, while lard, derived from pig fat, has a mild, neutral taste, making it ideal for baking and creating flaky pastries.

Tallow is rendered fat from ruminants, including cattle, bison, and lamb, whereas lard is rendered fat from pigs, boars, and other similar animals. Both are common cooking fats but are also used in other ways such as industrial lubricants. For frying and a beefier taste, use tallow.

Both tallow and lard are healthy, especially if you can get them from pastured (pigs) grass-fed and finished (cows) sources. Pastured lard is rich in vitamin D (something more than half all Americans are lacking), while tallow is rich in a slew of pro-metabolic fatty acids and vitamins.

Although it's ultra-moisturizing due to its emollient consistency, if you have sensitive skin, the thickness of beef tallow could cause acne and breakouts when applied directly to the skin. And that's not all — there are more serious health risks to consider.

Keep in mind that the best fat for rendering into tallow is the leaf fat that can be found near the cow's kidneys. It has a much milder flavor than the fat trimmed off a brisket. I don't mind that beefy flavor since I primarily use rendered lard in dishes that need a milder flavor, not beef tallow.

Choosing between stove top or slow cooker is all about cook time. The total cook time can be almost double when you use either a slow cooker or instant pot, compared to the stove top. Usually a batch of tallow on the stove will render in 3 to 4 hours, while it takes 6 to 8 hours in a slow cooker or instant pot.

Beef Suet is the hard fatty part of the cow that surrounds the kidneys. Beef Tallow is the rendered down fat from Suet. To make Beef Tallow, simply place Suet over low heat to render out the liquid fat. Both Suet and Tallow have been used for generations as an energy source, baking ingredient and cooking oil.

As innovation influenced preferences, the prominence of tallow in cooking began to wane. The emergence of vegetable oils, along with the growing popularity of alternatives like butter and lard, contributed to tallow's gradual exit from our culinary repertoire.