If you’ve spent a lot of time browsing farmers markets or scrolling through homesteading forums, you’ve likely come across the words “beef tallow.” You may have even picked up a brick of homemade soap and been shocked to see a cow on the label!
While beef tallow frequently goes underappreciated these days, this meat byproduct has been used for centuries for a variety of culinary techniques, health and beauty applications and even home essentials.
What is beef tallow, exactly? Where does beef tallow come from, and what is it used for? Check out everything you need to know about this versatile product and our tips for making and using beef tallow.
Beef tallow has a high smoking point (420°F) which means that like avocado oil, it can stand up to all the heat. I use it all the time, especially when I cook lamb or beef. Fat is flavor, so essentially, by using beef tallow, you’re adding more flavor to whatever meat you’re cooking.
Grass fed beef tallow isn’t just flavorful and a great local option for high-heat cooking, it’s also a healthy option. Tallow contains linoleic acid which is considered a natural anti-inflammatory. Grass-fed beef tallow is rich in vitamin A and vitamin D. Because our grasss fed beef tallow comes from cows raised on the Big Island, they get lot’s of Hawaiian sunshine creating vitamin D which is stored in fat.
Tallow is rendered beef fat, and much like pork lard, leaf tallow is made from the fat that surrounds the kidneys. Grass-fed beef tallow is prized for its mild beefy flavor and the many uses both in and outside of the kitchen. We render grass fed beef tallow from our 100% grass fed, grass finished Hawaii Island beef. The end result is a beautiful golden hued grass fed beef tallow.
Roasting with beef tallow creates a crispy outside and moist inside of just about anything you put it on. Tallow roasted vegetables and potatoes are simple dishes made decadent with the addition of a little grass fed beef tallow.
Tallow is used for roasting and frying. You could use tallow for baking if you want to impart beef notes or earthiness into the baked good. ( A beef pot pie with tallow crust- so much yes!)
Frying with tallow is possibly the best use of beef fat. Tallow has a smoke point of 420ºF which is why tallow lends itself well to high heat cooking like frying. The original McDonald’s french fry was fried in tallow. Grass fed beef tallow is also good for getting a nice searing steaks!
What Is Beef Tallow?
Beef tallow is essentially rendered beef fat. In culinary terms, beef tallow is adjacent to suet or lard but has a special rendering process that makes it unique.
What’s the difference between beef tallow, suet and lard? Firstly, “lard” is a term typically reserved for rendered pork fat sourced from pigs, although it can also describe duck fat. Tallow and suet are the terms used for beef fat, but you may also see them used to describe other types of ruminant animal fat, such as goat, sheep or elk.
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. Suet is best suited for use in pastries, dumplings and pie crusts, where the texture won’t be noticeable.
When suet is melted slowly, the tough and grainy bits can be easily strained out, leaving behind a smoother, firmer and more versatile product known as tallow. When used for culinary purposes, beef tallow has a very mild beefy or meaty flavor.
Before refrigeration and food preservatives were common, beef tallow served a vital role in people’s daily lives. Tallow is solid at room temperature and is shelf-stable for about twelve months. It can last about 12-18 months when kept in the fridge and up to two years in the freezer.
This versatile product can be used in food preparation as an ingredient or cooking oil. Outside of the kitchen, beef tallow can also be used to make candles, soaps, cleaning products, skin salves, healing ointments and industrial lubricants.
When consumed in moderation, beef tallow can be beneficial for your skin and hair, provide a good source of fat-soluble nutrients and promote healthy weight management. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, one tablespoon of beef tallow contains about 115 calories, 12.8 grams of total fat and 6.37 grams of saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats as overconsumption can lead to higher levels of “bad” cholesterol in your body.
With that being said, using beef tallow in moderation still has a range of health benefits. For one, beef tallow is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and choline, which are vital for cognitive function and overall health. Beef tallow also offers more vitamin D than olive oil, canola oil or margarine.
While it does contain some saturated fat, beef tallow is also a good source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, or “good fats.” If you’re looking for more keto-friendly or calorie-dense foods, using beef tallow can also be a good way to meet your nutrition goals.
However, the benefits can vary greatly depending on the quality and sourcing of your beef tallow. Per the National Library of Medicine, studies have shown that environmental pollutants are often stored in fatty tissues, so using low-quality beef tallow can raise your risk for consuming these toxins. It’s always better to source your beef tallow from grass-fed, antibiotic-free, organic and ethically raised cows whenever possible.
Steak Experiments – Beef Tallow vs Clarified Butter
FAQ
Is it good to cook with beef tallow?
Can beef tallow be used like butter?
Can you cook with beef tallow?
This cooking fat has a high smoke point of 420 F, which means it can be used for high-heat cooking methods like frying, roasting, and grilling without burning or smoking. One of the best things about cooking with beef tallow is the rich, savory flavor it adds to your meat and vegetables.
What is beef tallow good for?
Tallow is a traditional cooking fat with a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying and roasting, where it imparts a rich flavor and desirable texture to food. Beef tallow has a high smoke point of approximately 420°F (215°C), allowing you to cook at high temperatures without burning the fat and spoiling the flavor.
Can you use beef tallow instead of cooking oil?
Although it has many practical uses, replacing cooking oil with beef tallow in many recipes can be a smart and delicious choice. Because it has a high smoke point of 400 F, as reported by Serious Eats, it’s excellent for frying, searing meats, and sautéing. Additionally, since it’s made from beef, it also adds more flavor to dishes.
Is beef tallow good for frying?
Due to its distinct flavor profile and high smoke point, research indicates that beef tallow is an excellent cooking fat and has several health advantages. It’s an excellent option for sautéing and frying because of its natural balance of monounsaturated and saturated fats and low trans fat content. It’s also high in vitamins A, D, E, and K.