Beef tallow has grown in popularity over the past couple of years as there seems to be a shift for more natural wholesome products in the home. With that change I have begun researching and using beef tallow myself in both the kitchen and in my skincare routine. I thought it would be great to share what I have learned in my tallow journey thus far!
What is beef tallow?
Beef tallow is rendered beef fat. Rendering means cooking down raw beef fat and removing the moisture to help preserve shelf life of the product. It is a slow process that can take many hours. When we make our cooking tallow- we use the cleanest fat which is the suet. Suet comes from around the organs of a beef animal such as kidneys.
Once the raw fat is rendered down to tallow, it will be a clean, solid (at room temperature) , flavorful fat to use in the kitchen or for skincare product.
Health Benefits of Beef Tallow
Tallow has a unique fat profile — which I learned more about reading an article from Mayo Clinic–is beef tallow good for me?
Healthy Saturated Fat- In tallow, some of the saturated fat is stearic acid. Stearic acid does not raise cholesterol in the same way as other saturated fats.
Tallow also contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are healthier. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is one polyunsaturated omega-6 fat found in animal fats and linked to potential health benefits.
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. (all information per Mayo Clinic Article noted above).
Skincare Benefits: beef tallow has similar make-up to natural oils produced by our skin, and makes a great moisturizer! CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) found in tallow has anti-inflammatory benefits that help lock in moisture and reduce oxidation, which, along with the fat-soluble vitamins in beef tallow, may improve skin’s elasticity and overall healthy appearance when applied as a moisturizer. — I use Bovine & Sunshine Tallow on my Face and tough spots nearly everyday. I also use it on my kids–even as young babies. Such simple ingredients that you don’t have to worry about harming their skin!
**all health information derived from Mayo Clinic Article noted above. I am NOT a healthcare professional – should you have concerns please discuss with your doctor.
How to use beef tallow for cooking
Frying:
Many fast food restaurants used to cook with tallow, and it is returning in popularity! I enjoy frying my eggs, steaks, veggies and really anything I quick fry in a pan with our flavorful homegrown cooking tallow. Tallow has a high smoke point which makes it great for high temperature frying. You can learn more about smoke point variations and why it is important, here.
Using tallow for gravy bases, roasting vegetables and potatoes gives the dish a beautiful beefy flavor.
For example, I will substitute our beef tallow in this Hamburger Steak recipe both in quick frying the steaks, and then again in the gravy base. It is delicious.
Baking:
Beef tallow can be used as a substitution for butter or shortening in baking, however it will provide the baked good with a different flavor profile. I have used it in pie crusts with great results, and have heard that it works well in other baked goods, too. Learn more about baking with tallow in this article.
Seasoning Cast Iron:
I have fully replaced using Crisco with our cooking tallow when seasoning our cast iron. The natural fats in tallow help create a smooth, non-stick surface.
Yes, it will go bad. HOWEVER it can last a long time if stored properly. Some people will set this on their kitchen counter and not refrigerate. Which I think is fine as long as you keep moisture out of the jar. Moisture is going to make the tallow turn bad quickly if left out at room temperature. The tallow will last longer if stored properly in fridge or freeze if you have bulk quantities. If you tallow has a strange color, smell or taste–throw it out.
You can reuse the tallow IF you strain it and store it properly after use. You will need a fine strainer or cheesecloth to accomplish this. Once strained, store in an airtight jar, such as a mason jar and refrigerate until future use.
This article – beef tallow vs. butter goes into depth on the pros and cons of both. I personally believe in keeping BOTH in your diet. I don’t think I would like my toast buttered with tallow–butter all the way. They both have their unique places in the kitchen.
It is pretty simple to render your own beef tallow, but does take time. You will need a slow cooker and strainer or cheesecloth to accomplish this. Try Farmhouse on Boone’s easy to follow recipe.
I use tallow on any rough areas of my skin (feet, hands, calluses) and also on my face in the winter when it is dry. Our Bovine & Sunshine tallow has only 2 ingredients and I love it on myself, and my young kids! Made right here locally.
If you are not a cattle farmer and want to make your own– reach out to your local butcher shops to see if they have already rendered tallow or suet to make your own.
We will ship our homegrown cooking tallow and whipped tallow cream nationwide.
Recipes with Tallow:
Coat the pan in our Mongolian Beef Recipe with tallow instead of oil.
Our Salisbury Steak Recipe– swap butter for tallow in the gravy base and for frying the steaks.
Use cooking tallow when making a tri tip roast recipe, or any roast recipe!
FOLLOW ALONG FOR information- tell me in comments below if you have used, or will start using, tallow!
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I hope you this inspires you to try this healthy cooking tallow! – Bobbi Jo
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