What is Tallow?

What is tallow, how do I prepare it, what is it used for, what recipes do I use it in, where can I buy it, and is it like an oil or butter? Don't worry, I'm here to explain everything about this specific beef or mutton fat! My guide will walk you through all the answers to your questions about tallow.

What Is Tallow

Tallow (or suet) is an extremely versatile type of fat that is made from rendered animal fat. Tallow is made by taking beef or mutton fat or suet (the fatty area around a cow's kidneys) and cooking it down on very low heat until it melts into a liquid.

In this guide, I will cover how to make tallow, the benefits of using it while cooking, where to buy it, and the similarities and differences tallow shares with lard, oil, and butter. In general, I will explain why you need this beefy fat in your kitchen!

Jump to:

• What Is Tallow
• Uses Of Tallow
• What Does Tallow Taste Like?
• How To Prepare Tallow
• Beef Tallow Recipes
• Benefits Of Cooking With Tallow
• Where To Buy Tallow
• Are Tallow And Lard The Same Thing?
• Is Tallow More Similar To Oil Or Butter?
• 🥡 Storing
• ❓ Recipe FAQs
• 📖 More Useful Food Guides
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

Uses Of Tallow

Tallow has been utilized in many different ways throughout history. It is primarily used in food preparation as an ingredient and cooking oil.

Due to the tallow's high smoke point of 420ºF (220ºC), it makes a wonderful oil to fry and saute food at high temperatures. Not only does it add a rich beefy flavor, but it also won't oxidize or become rancid during the cooking process.

Tallow is also used in the making of soaps, candles, lubricants, skincare, and even biodiesel! It is a great conditioner for skin, hair, leather, and wooden kitchen utensils.

Fun fact: McDonald's french fries were originally fried in tallow!

I checked CoastPacking's tastemap for restaurants that still cook using beef tallow and only found six locations in three states. If you're in Texas, Florida, or New York, you can enjoy a night out with a rich, deliciously beefy feast.

What Does Tallow Taste Like?

Beef tallow has a distinct, rich flavor that is similar to butter or other animal fats. It adds a depth of beefy flavor to dishes that other vegetable oils and types of fat can't achieve.

There is a slight distinction in tallow's flavor depending on if the cow is grass-fed or grain-fed. But overall, it has a slightly savory, meaty, and mild taste.

How To Prepare Tallow

To prepare some tallow to use as your cooking oil, you need to first purchase some white beef fat from a local butcher shop. Then, you'll want to chill the fat so that it's easier to cut it down into smaller pieces.

You may use a sharp knife and cutting board to chop the fat down as little as possible or use a food processor for a quicker outcome. The fat will need to be pulsed until it has the consistency of ground beef. Then, the fat will be transferred to a large stock pot to simmer for 4 hours on low heat.

Once it is heated fully to a liquid form, then the mixture needs to be strained through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any large chunks (or cracklings), and cheesecloth to remove any small pieces left over. Finally, the fat is stored in an airtight container or could be used right away.

Beef Tallow Recipes

You can use tallow to fry, saute, and bake any savory dishes that require cooking oil. To use beef tallow in cooking, you can simply add it to the pan or skillet along with your other ingredients and cook as usual.

Some common dishes that can be made using beef tallow include ground beef stew, fried chicken, and stir-fries.

I love sauteing yellow squash, green beans, mushrooms and onions, and broccolini with tallow to make simple and quick side dishes for my main course meals.

Benefits Of Cooking With Tallow

Tallow is naturally packed with nutrients, especially from a grass-fed animal. Since beef tallow is an unprocessed fat, it helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. It is rich in vitamins A, D, E, K, and B1.

It is also rich in a wide variety of fatty acids and contains no carbohydrates. Tallow is also popular with people who eat organ meats and animal-based diets such as Ketovore or Carnivore.

Where To Buy Tallow

You may be able to find beef tallow in a jar at a specialty grocery store over a common supermarket. If you can't find any at the store, you could ask the butcher in the meat department if they have any beef fat scraps they can sell to you.

Beef tallow can also be purchased online through major websites like Amazon. This is where I order my jars by Epic or Fatworks brands. I also order directly from White Oak Pastures.

Are Tallow And Lard The Same Thing?

Tallow and lard are extremely similar, the main difference is the type of animal these fats come from. Tallow is the rendered form of beef fat, while lard is the rendered form of pork fat.

Is Tallow More Similar To Oil Or Butter?

Beef tallow shares similarities to both oil and butter. In its liquid form, it looks very similar to cooking oil, specifically coconut oil.

As it hardens at room temperature, it shares the consistency of butter. Just like butter and oil, you can use tallow to bake pastries and piecrusts!

🥡 Storing

Place your beef tallow in a mason jar or airtight container to store in the refrigerator for 12-18 months. You may store beef tallow at room temperature for up to 12 months

Pour your liquid beef tallow into a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Allow the tallow to fully solidify and then cut into bars. Wrap the individual bars with plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container for up to 24 months.

❓ Recipe FAQs

📖 More Useful Food Guides

• Ultimate Guide To Cooking Lamb - If you've ever needed help getting the juiciest, tender, and richly flavored lamb, this guide covers it all!
• How To Make Shortbread Cookies - With this guide, your shortbread cookies will come out with a buttery flavor and crumbly texture every time!
• What Is A Tray Bake - This guide covers the different types of delicious sweet and savory tray bake desserts!
• What To Do With Extra Cookie Dough - If you have ever wondered what you could do with leftover cookie dough, check out this ultimate guide!
• How To Tenderize London Broil - This guide covers all of the tips and tricks to ensure that a London broil will always turn out juicy and tender!
• What Is Conecuh Sausage - If you have never heard of this delicious sausage, this guide covers how to cook Conecuh and where to buy it!

Did you find this ultimate guide that covers the uses and benefits of beef tallow helpful? If you'd like to see more posts like this one, let me know in the comments below!

📖 Recipe Card

Originally published December 15, 2022