Beef tallow is a rendered form of beef fat that has been used for centuries for cooking candle and soap making and even skin care. With its high smoke point and rich nutritional profile, tallow offers many versatile uses. This complete guide will explore common uses of beef tallow, how to make it, potential health benefits, and any precautions to take.
An Overview of Beef Tallow
Beef tallow is made by slowly rendering the hard fat surrounding the kidneys and loins of cattle called beef suet. Once rendered the liquid fat is strained and cooled to form a creamy, pale solid that is shelf stable at room temperature.
Before vegetable oils became widely available, tallow was commonly used for frying, baking, and general cooking. It imparts a subtle beefy flavor while remaining stable under high heat. Tallow also naturally contains vitamins A, D, E and K.
With growing concerns over highly processed seed oils, tallow is regaining popularity among home cooks and natural beauty enthusiasts. But what exactly is beef tallow used for today?
Common Uses of Beef Tallow
From the kitchen to the medicine cabinet, beef tallow offers many practical uses thanks to its high smoke point and skin-nourishing fatty acids. Here are some of the most popular uses for beef tallow today:
Cooking Uses
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Frying and sautéing – With a smoke point around 420°F, tallow excels at frying and searing foods without burning. The smoke point is similar to ghee or avocado oil.
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Baking – Replaces butter or shortening in pie crusts, pastries, and other baking recipes. Adds flakiness and rich flavor.
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Roasting vegetables – Toss veggies in tallow before roasting for caramelized flavor.
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Making gravy and sauces – Whisk tallow into pan drippings for rich, savory gravies Also used to thicken and add flavor to sauces
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Adding to soups and stews – Stir into simmering soups and stews to enrich flavor and texture.
Skin Care Uses
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Moisturizing dry, cracked, or rough skin – Has soothing, emollient properties thanks to skin-compatible lipids. Often used on hands, heels, elbows.
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Soothing eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis – Naturally antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. Apply gently to irritated areas. Patch test first.
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Making lotions, balms, ointments – Use as an ingredient in DIY skin care products, combined with herbs, oils, butters, and essential oils.
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Makeup removal – Melts away makeup. Some use as a gentle, traditional cold cream. Rinse after use.
Other Household Uses
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Conditioning cast iron – Rub a thin layer of tallow onto cast iron pans/skillets to season and protect them.
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Making candles – Burn cleanly and slowly with little smoke. Has been used traditionally in candle making.
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Creating soaps – Adds hardness, creamy lather, and skin-nourishing properties to handmade soaps.
Potential Medicinal Uses
Tallow’s nutritional content offers some potential wellness benefits, though more research is still needed in humans:
- Supports skin barrier and moisture retention
- Provides fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K
- Contains anti-inflammatory compounds like CLA
- May support hormone and cholesterol metabolism
- Potential antimicrobial and wound-healing actions
Always check with a doctor before using tallow medicinally.
How to Make Beef Tallow at Home
Making beef tallow is simple and requires just a few ingredients:
Ingredients:
- Beef suet or trimmings, preferably grass-fed
- Cheesecloth
- Jar or container for storage
Instructions:
- Cut beef fat into small pieces.
- Simmer in a saucepan or slow cooker on low for 2-4 hours until liquefied.
- Strain through a cheesecloth to remove any solids.
- Pour into containers and allow to cool completely until solid.
- Store in a cool, dark place. Keeps for many months.
Once you have homemade tallow, experiment with the many uses above!
Is Beef Tallow Healthy? Potential Benefits vs. Risks
Like other saturated fats, beef tallow is high in calories and should be eaten in moderation. But it offers some potential benefits as well as risks to consider:
Potential Benefits
- Heat-stable for cooking
- Contains anti-inflammatory CLA
- Provides fat-soluble vitamins
- Supports skin health when applied topically
Potential Risks
- High in saturated fat
- Can spike cholesterol levels
- May clog pores for some skin types
- Always patch test when using on skin
Overall, small amounts of grass-fed tallow can be part of a healthy, balanced diet for most people when used to replace less stable cooking oils. Those with heart disease risk may want to minimize intake.
Tallow vs. Lard: What’s the Difference?
While both animal fats, lard and tallow aren’t the same. Here’s how they differ:
- Source: Lard comes from pig fat while tallow comes from beef fat
- Flavor: Lard has a neutral flavor while tallow has a subtle beef taste
- Fat profile: Lard is softer while tallow remains solid at room temperature
- Uses: Lard is favored for baking while tallow is favored for high-heat cooking
Beef tallow is a traditional food and medicine making a comeback thanks to its high smoke point and skin-loving fatty acids. From cooking to skincare and beyond, beef tallow can be used in many ways, though intake should be moderate. To experience its benefits, try making your own tallow at home using suet from local farmers whenever possible. This versatile, time-honored food deserves a place in both the kitchen and medicine cabinet.
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What kind of fat is in beef tallow?
What sets beef tallow apart from other cooking fats — and has it currently trending in the wellness community — is its unique fat profile.
Like other solid cooking fats such as butter and coconut oil, beef tallow is made up primarily of saturated fat. Liquid fats such as olive oil, peanut oil and canola oil are primarily unsaturated fats.
While saturated fats have been demonized in the past, eating certain kinds or small amounts might not be as harmful as previously thought. In tallow, some of the saturated fat is a specific type known as stearic acid. Stearic acid appears to not raise cholesterol in the same way as other saturated fats.
Tallow also contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are considered healthier. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is one polyunsaturated omega-6 fat found in animal fats and linked to potential health benefits such as preventing plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis). However, more research is needed about the effects of conjugated linoleic acid.
In addition to fat, beef tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins that are vital for various bodily functions, including immune support, bone health, cellular function and skin health. Animal varieties that are 100% grass fed will provide a more expensive nutrient profile.
What is beef tallow?
Tallow is a whiteish substance that is solid at room temperature. It’s made by removing, simmering and clarifying the fatty tissue that surrounds the organs of ruminant animals. Ruminant animals chew their cud and include cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats and deer. Beef tallow is commonly made from cows and is sometimes called “beef drippings.”
Beef tallow is typically used for cooking at high temperatures such as deep frying and roasting. Tallow also has many nonfood uses and can be an ingredient in candles, soaps and topical skincare — it can even be used to season cast-iron pans.
Tallow shares many similarities with lard. But lard is sourced from pigs and has a softer texture and milder flavor, which makes it a preferred choice for baked goods.
The secret benefits of Grass-Fed BEEF TALLOW
FAQ
What is the best use of beef tallow?
Beef tallow was used in cooking as it makes an amazing oil for frying or pastries. They would also use tallow fat for candle making, soap making, moisturizing, keeping cast iron pots from rusting and even for waterproofing leather.
Can you put beef tallow directly on skin?
Beef tallow is noncomedogenic, meaning it doesn’t clog pores. This is especially helpful for people who struggle with acne, large pores, or blackheads. It can be used on almost any skin type, at any age. You can start using beef tallow in your teens and continue as your skin ages.
Why did people stop using beef tallow?
Unfortunately, despite being delicious, America moved away from using beef tallow, a saturated fat, when it started being linked to increases in cardiovascular issues and deaths.
Is beef tallow healthier than butter?
Compared to beef tallow, butter has fewer calories and less fat, but it does contain a small amount of carbohydrates. Butter can offer different health benefits, such as providing nutrients that support tooth and brain health.
How do you use beef tallow?
The beef tallow will cool in the dish and then can be used as desired. Try beef tallow on a slice of toast or bun, slather it over raw vegetables before roasting, or even incorporate it into baking projects, especially in recipes that call for lard. What Does Beef Tallow Taste Like? Plain beef tallow doesn’t have much flavor.
What is beef tallow?
Beef tallow is pure organic beef fat, mostly sourced from the suet, around the kidney, along with fat from other parts of the cow. Tallow has a high smoke point so it’s perfect for cooking steak, deep frying or any type of cooking that requires high heat.
Is beef tallow good for cooking?
“To maximize beef tallow’s flavor, you want to be cooking something that will absorb and showcase the flavor, like potatoes and breaded or nut-crusted proteins,” says celebrity chef David Burke, who is part of Flavors of the Open presented by Dobel at the U.S. Open. “Beef tallow is good for binding coatings and seasoning in general.”