A very common question I get about our products is, What is the difference between lard and tallow?
They are both types of rendered fat, and both have been around for a VERY long time. I’ve observed that very old words often have multiple meanings, or maybe the current meaning has shifted slightly away from the original meaning. All that to say, not everyone who reads this will agree with my explanations of these ancient foods. However, I want to try to shed some light on what I know about the subject.
The basic difference is what animal these fats come from. Lard is Pork Fat. Tallow is Beef Fat. (Tallow may also include lamb or other ruminant fat, and even if that’s true, the following would still be generally true.)
A fun fact for you is that rendered Chicken Fat is called Schmaltz. And yes, it’s a thing. You see it in the pan after you’ve roasted a nice plump chicken.
Rendered animal fat derived from only pork raw materials can be labeled as white grease. Rendered animal fat derived from only cattle raw materials can be labeled as beef tallow.
What does “rendered” mean?
Every healthy mammal’s body contains fat in two areas: under the skin, and around the kidneys. What that fat is NOT is free liquid oil, floating around in the body. Nope. The raw fat from a cow or pig or chicken must be removed from its surrounding connective tissue before it can be useful as a cooking oil. That’s a very simple process (UNLIKE the extraction of seed oils from tiny, non-oily, non-mammalian seeds and grains like cottonseed or corn). All you have to do is warm the connective tissue up gently, and out melts the liquid fat. The fibrous (for lack of a better word) tissue left behind is “crackling,” and makes a very hearty snack when you crisp it up in a skillet.
This process is called Rendering, and it ends with the two byproducts: Crackling and liquid Rendered ___ (Lard, Tallow, Schmaltz). Crackling is a bonus, but the liquid oil is what we’re really after. You don’t really need to include the “rendered” part because the names of those products imply that the extraction has already taken place, but it can eliminate ambiguity that can come with those super-old words. In fact, I don’t even know what raw pig fat is called. Pig fat, I guess! Ha. Raw beef fat is called suet, but even then… some people use the word suet when they mean rendered tallow and vice-versa.
Tallow Vs. Lard | WHICH IS BETTER? | Bumblebee Apothecary
FAQ
Is beef tallow just grease?
Are lard and tallow the same thing?
Is tallow healthier than oil?
Is it better to cook with tallow?
What is the difference between grease and tallow?
is that grease is animal fat in a melted or soft state while tallow is a hard animal fat obtained from suet etc.; used to make candles, soap and lubricants. is that grease is to put grease or fat on something, especially in order to lubricate while tallow is to grease or smear with tallow. (extension) Any oily or fatty matter.
Is tallow a fat?
Tallow is a type of fat product that is specifically made from the fat that surrounds the organs of beef or mutton, such as the kidneys, and from the animal’s loins. That is important to know because this type of fat (called suet) differs from muscle fat found in the meat of these animals.
Is tallow a good lubricant?
Tallow is a multi-functional ingredient that can be used inside and out of the kitchen. Naturally, it is a fantastic lubricating ingredient. It can also function as a tenderizer and flavoring. While it won’t be adding umami, salty, or smoky flavor (like bacon fat would), it will add richness to your food — similar to how marbled meats taste better.
How is tallow made?
Tallow is obtained through rendering suet (fat surrounding organs). During this process, suet is heated over very low and slow heat. That helps separate the fat from any muscles or connective tissue in the organs. When the ingredients are heated, the fat will eventually start to melt.