Beef fat goes by many names depending on its form and use. The most common term is tallow, which refers to rendered beef fat used for cooking and industrial purposes. However, raw beef fat is also known as suet or beef suet. Here’s a complete guide to the various names and types of beef fat, how tallow is produced, and the many uses of these animal fats.
Raw Beef Fat: Suet
Suet is the raw, hard fat found around the kidneys and loins of cattle. This fat is high in saturated fats and was traditionally used for cooking, candles, lubricants, and more before becoming less popular with the rise of vegetable oils. Suet has a crumbly texture and can range from white to yellow in color. When rendered into tallow, it takes on a waxy, smooth texture.
The highest-quality suet for making tallow comes from grass-fed cows as opposed to grain-fed cattle. Grass-fed suet contains more beneficial compounds like vitamin K2, omega-3s, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). When shopping for suet, look for chunks of fat from grass-fed beef at a local butcher shop or farmers market.
Rendered Beef Fat: Tallow
Tallow is suet that has been rendered, or melted down to separate and clarify the fat. Also called beef lard or mutton tallow if from sheep, tallow has been used for centuries in cooking, medicine, and manufacturing. Beef tallow is prized for its high smoke point and rich, meaty flavor.
Tallow is made by chopping suet into small pieces and melting in a pot or slow cooker until liquified. The melted fat is then strained to remove any solids. After cooling and hardening, tallow take on a creamy, waxy texture akin to butter.
With its mild beefy flavor, tallow is excellent for frying baking and sautéing. It makes heavenly fried chicken, fried potatoes, pie crusts, and biscuits. Tallow adds moisture and flakiness to baked goods while providing natural cholesterol and fatty acids.
Other Common Names for Beef Fat
In addition to suet and tallow, beef fat goes by several other colloquial names:
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Dripping – The fat and juices left over after cooking fatty meats like steak or roasts. Dripping can be used for gravies, sauces and sautéing.
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Schmaltz – Rendered beef or chicken fat used in Jewish cuisine.
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Greaves or cracklings – The crispy solids leftover after making tallow. These protein-rich bits can be eaten as a snack or used for pet food.
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Graves – Another term for greaves reserved for the larger chunks of solid.
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Lard – Technically refers to rendered pork fat, but sometimes used interchangeably with tallow.
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Tallowate – Soap made from beef tallow rather than plant oils.
How is Tallow Used?
Thanks to its high smoke point and nutritional content, tallow has many uses beyond cooking:
- Frying oil
- Baking fat for pie crusts, cookies, and pastries
- Fuel for oil lamps
- Waterproofing agent
- Lubricant for tools and machinery
- Leather dressing
- Candle making
- Cosmetic creams and soaps
- Livestock feed
- Pet food
- Biodiesel production
Tallow even has uses in aviation biofuels, textiles, printing, and industrial manufacturing. It was traditionally used by fast food chains for frying until the rise of vegetable oils. But with its health benefits and culinary properties, tallow is making a comeback!
The Takeaway on Beef Fat
While raw beef fat is referred to as suet, tallow specifically means suet that has been rendered into a purified cooking fat. Other names like schmaltz, dripping, and greaves denote beef fat in various forms. Tallow offers a high smoke point and rich nutritional profile, making it suitable for frying, baking, and even DIY cosmetics when sourced from quality grass-fed cattle. Understand the difference between various types of beef fat to select the best one for your cooking and health needs.
Tools for Making Beef Tallow
Making beef tallow is not difficult, but there are a few items and tools you’ll need to have on hand to help you achieve that gorgeous, smooth beef tallow as a final product. I’ve linked a few of the things you’ll need to assemble prior to rendering the tallow.
- 16-quart stock pot. The fat cooks down in a stock pot, and I recommend you use a bigger pot that you think you’ll need. You don’t want any fat splashing on your countertops or stove top, believe me.
- Fine mesh strainer. Make sure you have a pretty fine strainer on hand to strain all the large pieces of meat and other impurities that don’t cook down with the fat.
- Funnel. A funnel is a must-have when doing the final straining into your storage jar(s). Any funnel will do here. I linked a funnel/strainer combo so you can snag both and have fewer items to purchase for making this tallow.
- 100% cotton cheesecloth. Cheesecloth is the best item to use to do the final straining, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can also use a coffee filter or paper towel.
- Wide-mouth mason jars. A wide-mouth mason jar makes the perfect jar for storing your tallow. The wide mouth makes it easier to get the tallow in and out, and it’ll store nicely in the fridge.
How to Render Beef Tallow
Once you have all your tools gathered, you’re ready to render some beef tallow! Do not be intimidated by this process! Once you’ve tried it, you’ll find it’s pretty straightforward.
- Add the beef fat to a stock pot. Gather the beef fat in a large stock pot, and heat to a low simmer. Low and slow temperatures while you render or the fat will result in a browned tallow with a funkier flavor, and it won’t be as white when it cools.
- Slowly simmer to render the beef fat. During the cooking time, you will notice the fat slowly starts to render and cook. There will be a light simmer and small bubbles forming during the cooking process, but you don’t ever want a rolling boil. If your rendered fat starts bubbling too much, reduce the heat and stir well.
- Strain. Straining is important. Impurities won’t taste great and can cause the tallow to spoil faster, so make sure to strain twice. The first strain is in a fine strainer to remove any large pieces, and the second uses cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a paper towel to get all the final small pieces removed.
- Use or store. You can use this immediately. It will remain a liquid until cooled where it will turn solid and white. Once you have your beef tallow cooked down and strained, store it in a lidded glass jar or container in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Now that you’re ready to render your own beef tallow and use it in your baking, try it out on these recipes. If the recipe doesn’t call for beef tallow specifically, you can use it in place of oil or butter.
- Skillet Potatoes. This recipe calls for cooking the potatoes in beef tallow, and oh, baby, are these the best potatoes you’ll ever have.
- Reverse Seared Steak. When making a tasty reverse-seared steak, try searing the steak in some tallow for extra flavor!
- Homemade Cornbread. You can use this beef tallow in place of butter in most recipes. Try substituting for the butter in this recipe for a killer flavor.
5 Ways Tallow (Beef Fat) Can Help You Lose Weight
FAQ
What is beef fat also known as?
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.
Which is healthier, lard or tallow?
Tallow is definitely the better option, but lard (or any animal fat) is far better than seed oils!! Since it’s pork fat, there’s more PUFA, which isn’t ideal. Lard is a solid option overall though!
What is melted beef fat called?
Tallow is rendered beef fat from the kidney and other fatty areas of the steer. Rendering is the process of slowly cooking the solidified fatty tissue at a lower temperature to obtain the liquid fat.
What is the fatty part of beef called?
Rib cuts are notable for their fatty marbling, tenderness, and distinctive flavor. Rib cuts tend to be a little pricier than most and are often better slow-cooked than grilled. The types of portion cuts you can find for ribs are beef short ribs, ribeye steak, cowboy steak, ribeye roast, ribeye filet and back ribs.
What is beef fat?
Beef fat is the fatty tissue extracted from a cow. It exists throughout the animal’s body and can vary significantly in texture and flavor. Essentially, beef fat contributes to various cuts of meat and provides flavor, moisture, and tenderness to dishes. Here are essential points about beef fat:
What does beef fat look like?
Appearance and Texture Beef Fat: It can appear as yellowish or white chunks of fat that may have a marbled look alongside the meat. Tallow: The rendering process results in a smooth, creamy texture that is generally off-white in color.
What makes beef tallow different from other cooking fats?
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.
Can you cook with beef fat?
Cooking with beef fat is possible, but it is not very common in modern cuisine. Raw beef fat can be challenging to work with due to its high saturation and unpalatable taste when not rendered properly. Many prefer to render it into tallow to eliminate impurities and improve the flavor, making it more versatile in culinary applications.
How do you make fat from beef?
Fat must be rendered from beef by cooking down and melting it off the meat. Once a pool of fat appears, remove solids, and pour off the hot grease into a glass or ceramic container. When the fat is hot, simmer herbs and/or spices, along with it to add more flavor, then strain out any solids before cooling and storing.
What is beef fat & why is it important?
Essentially, beef fat contributes to various cuts of meat and provides flavor, moisture, and tenderness to dishes. Here are essential points about beef fat: Source: Beef fat comes from various cuts of beef, including brisket, ribeye, and sirloin.