tallow

Traditional rendered tallow is great for all-purpose cooking. Yield: about 5 cups of tallow, plus 2.5 cups of cracklings.

Rendered Lamb or Goat Tallow

lbs lamb fat

water

If it's your first time rendering tallow, start with the slow cooker method below--it's a gauranteed no-fail way to  learn the process of rendering without the chance of scorching the tallow.

Make sure the fat is chilled to make it easier to cut. Using a chef’s knife, or a medium-sized chopping knife, cut the fat into small cube-sized pieces, about 1x1 inch. Put the lamb fat and water into a heavy stock pot, then heat the oven to 300 and bake for 3-4 hours, or until the fat is rendered. Oven temperatures can vary, so check on the fat here and there, giving it a stir to ensure even cooking. Make sure to check on the fat at the 2.5-3 hour point, and if needed, turn down the heat.

The chunks of lamb fat should not brown too much, and it’s better to cook the fat a little less than to over cook it which can give it a toasted flavor that, while not the end of the world, is not properly rendered tallow. When the fat is rendered, allow it to cool for 30 minutes to an hour before straining, as it’s very hot.

Strain or fish out the cracklings and reserve. Pour the fat into glass jars while still pourable, but don’t seal them until cool. When cooled, the tallow should be pure white. Store one jar of tallow at room temperature to make it easier to spoon out and portion, and freeze or refrigerate the rest. The tallow will last a very long time under refrigeration.

Bumblebee Apothecary Tallow

100% grass fed, grass finished beef fat

salt

Ask butcher to grind beef fat. If this...

Ask butcher to grind beef fat. If this is not an option, grind it in a food processor while it is very cold, or cut it into fine pieces with a knife.

Put ground or cut up beef fat into...

Put ground or cut up beef fat into crockpot.

Add salt and water. For a larger amount...

Add salt and water. For a larger amount of fat, use more salt and water. For a smaller amount, use less.

Turn crockpot to low, and allow beef fat...

Turn crockpot to low, and allow beef fat to render for several hours, stirring occasionally.

When rendering is finished, strain liquid tallow and...

When rendering is finished, strain liquid tallow and water into a large bowl.

Allow tallow and water to cool in refrigerator...

Allow tallow and water to cool in refrigerator or other cold place.

While tallow is cooling, wash crockpot.

When tallow is very firm, remove tallow cake...

When tallow is very firm, remove tallow cake from bowl and discard water.

Scrape bottom of tallow cake to remove discoloration.

Cut tallow cake into quarters and put them...

Cut tallow cake into quarters and put them into clean crockpot.

Add same amount of salt and water.

Turn crockpot to low and bring tallow and...

Turn crockpot to low and bring tallow and water to a simmer.

Allow to simmer for about an hour.

Strain tallow and water into large bowl again.

Allow tallow to cool a second time.

When tallow is solid, remove tallow from bowl...

When tallow is solid, remove tallow from bowl and scrape bottom of tallow cake again to remove any discoloration.

Store tallow in chunks, or melt tallow in...

Store tallow in chunks, or melt tallow in a double boiler and pour into jars for storage, being careful to not get any water into finished tallow.

Tallow is semi-soft beef fat that’s great for high heat frying as it remains very stable under hot temperature and imparts a good flavor. It’s also used in artisan soap and candle making. In this post, you will learn the benefits of beef tallows, how to render tallow, and its substitute.  

How to render beef tallow

lbs beef fat

Cut the beef fat into smaller chucks. (It’s best to let the fat cool down first for easy trimming or cutting.)

(Optional) Pulverize fat into tiny pieces using a food processor or blender. This will help to cook it faster and render more fat. But if you don’t have a processor, you can just cut the fat into small pieces.

Place the fat into a crockpot. (No need to add water or any other ingredients.)

Cook it on HIGH for 3 to 5 hours, or LOW for 5-8 hours. (Check occasionally and make sure it’s not burning.  Give it a stir when necessary.)

Set up a jar or bowl with a sieve on top. Pour the fat through it.

Let it cool and then pour it into a jar. It has a yellow tone when it’s still in the liquid form.

After a few hours at room temperature, it will solidify and turn to white color.

Store it in an air-tight jar and it will last up to 1 year at room temperature.

Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill for Tallow Basted Seared Ribeye!

Tallow Basted Seared Ribeye Recipe

Cornhusker Beef Tallow

cloves

Creekstone Farms Prime Ribeye steaks

Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-Tip Steak Seasoning

rosemary

thyme

(4 oz) stick cultured butter, room temperature

garlic (from above)

/ 1.5 oz smoked blue cheese crumbles

tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce

Co. Salt,

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 350ºF with the diffuser door (or entire diffuser plate) removed.

Place 1/2 cup beef tallow in a pint sized mason jar. Add to the jar the peeled cloves of garlic. Place in the grill, away from the direct flame. Cook until the garlic is tender, about one hour. Remove from the grill. Separate the garlic cloves from the tallow. Let cool.

Turn the grill temperature up to 500ºF. Place a Finex 12” Cast Iron Skillet in the grill to preheat.

Place the Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-Tip Steak Seasoning in a Kala CrushGrind spice grinder. Grind the rub over the steak to season.

To make the blue cheese butter, combine the roasted garlic with the butter, blue cheese and Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce and mash and mix to incorporate. Season with Jacobsen Salt Co. Tellicherry Black Peppercorns and Kosher Salt to taste. Set aside at room temperature.

Place the garlic infused beef tallow in the hot cast iron skillet. Add the sprigs of fresh herbs. Place the steak in the skillet. Don’t over crowd the skillet. Work in batches if necessary. Grab the handle of the skillet with a towel or grilling gloves and tip the skillet up at an angle, allowing the tallow to gather at the edge of the skillet closest to you. Using a large spoon, baste the tallow over the steak. Repeat this occasionally throughout the cook. When the bottom is seared, flip the steak and repeat the basting process. Cook the steak to an internal temperature of 130ºF.

Place a dollop (about 2 tsp) of the blue cheese butter on a dinner plate. Remove the steak from the skillet and place on top of the butter. Top the steak with another dollop of butter and spear across the top of the steak. Allow the butter to melt into the steak as it rests for a couple of minutes before serving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_od0hMJ3QE

Tallow Basted Seared Ribeye

What looks like birthday cake frosting, and is packed with nutrients that skin loves? Let&#x27;s learn how to make tallow balm!

Tallow Balm

Grass fed tallow

Olive oil

Essential oils

Melt tallow over gentle heat until it is...

Melt tallow over gentle heat until it is liquid.

Remove tallow from heat. Add olive oil and...

Remove tallow from heat. Add olive oil and stir to combine.

Add essential oils and stir again.

For solid tallow balm, pour balm into glass...

For solid tallow balm, pour balm into glass jar. Allow to harden in the refrigerator. When solid, let balm come to room temperature before using.

For whipped tallow balm, pour liquid balm mixture...

For whipped tallow balm, pour liquid balm mixture into a large mixing bowl. Allow to solidify at room temperature. When solid, whip with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Store in glass jar.

Store both forms of tallow balm at room...

Store both forms of tallow balm at room temperature.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t4tcubjj28ud5u8aipxp.mp4

What's my secret weapon for all things skin related? Tallow, of course! Because it is so similar to our own skin cells, tallow is the perfect moisturizer and healer for skin. This is an updated tutorial of my favorite tallow balm recipe for dry skin, eczema, acne, anti aging, and more!

Tallow Balm Recipe

Make sure the fat is chilled to make it easier to cut. Using a chef’s knife, or a medium-sized chopping knife, cut the fat into small cube-sized pieces, about 1x1 inch. Put the lamb fat and water into a slow cooker, and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the fat has rendered and looks clear.

Strain or fish out the cracklings and reserve. Pour the fat into glass jars while still pourable, but don’t seal them until cool. When cooled, the tallow should be pure white. Store one jar of tallow at room temperature to make it easier to spoon out and portion, and freeze or refrigerate the rest. The tallow will last a very long time under refrigeration or in the freezer.

To make cracklings from the leftover fat, put the cooked, still white pieces of fat into a heavy cast iron pan (12 inch diameter) or similar, and bake for one hour at 300, or until the pieces of fat are crisp and browned. You can drain off the additional fat that comes out of the cracklings for cooking.

To make cracklings from the leftover fat

Today I&#x27;m sharing how to make tallow soap. Grass fed tallow has amazing skin benefits, and it makes a beautiful soap.

Bumblebee Apothecary Tallow Soap

Olive oil, by weight

Refined coconut oil, by weight

Water, by weight

Lye, by weight

Essential oil

Weigh tallow, coconut oil, and olive oil, and...

Weigh tallow, coconut oil, and olive oil, and put into a crockpot on high, or a pot on the stove on low heat.

Weigh the water in a heat safe container...

Weigh the water in a heat safe container or sturdy plastic bucket, and weigh lye separately.

Once oils are melted, check their temperature; you...

Once oils are melted, check their temperature; you want them to be 100 degrees F. Let cool if necessary.

Once oils are at 100 degrees F, take...

Once oils are at 100 degrees F, take the lye and water outdoors. Wearing gloves and safety goggles, carefully and slowly pour the lye into the water. Stir gently.

Once the lye water has turned from cloudy...

Once the lye water has turned from cloudy to clear, leave it to cool for 10 minutes.

Carefully pour the lye water into the oil...

Carefully pour the lye water into the oil mixture.

Use an immersion blender to mix the soap....

Use an immersion blender to mix the soap. After a few minutes, it will grow creamy, and start to thicken. Mix until it has reached "trace," the light pudding consistency.

Add the essential oils and blend again to...

Add the essential oils and blend again to incorporate.

Pour soap into molds, top with wax paper,...

Pour soap into molds, top with wax paper, and wrap molds in towels.

After 24 hours, remove soap from mold and...

After 24 hours, remove soap from mold and slice into bars. Let cure in an area with good air flow for 4 weeks.

My tallow shampoo bar recipe is one that I absolutely love.

Tallow Shampoo Bars

oz. grass fed tallow

olive oil

coconut oil

castor oil

tbsp essential oil

Weigh tallow, coconut oil, olive oil, and castor...

Weigh tallow, coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil, and put into a crockpot on high, or a pot on the stove on low heat.

Once oils are melted, check the temperature. You...

Once oils are melted, check the temperature. You want the oils to be 100 degrees F. Let oils cool if necessary.

Use an immersion blender to mix the shampoo...

Use an immersion blender to mix the shampoo bar mixture. After a few minutes, it will grow creamy, and start to thicken. Mix until it has reached “trace,” the light pudding consistency.

Pour shampoo bar mixture into molds, top with...

Pour shampoo bar mixture into molds, top with wax paper, and wrap molds in towels.

Easy to make and keeps for months, use your homemade beef tallow for cooking, baking, making soaps, lotions, candles, and leather conditioners!

How to Make Beef Tallow

beef fat (, trim off

Place the chopped fat in a slow cooker on LOW.  Leave the lid OFF to allow excess liquid to evaporate.  Let the fat slowly simmer, never allowing it to boil, for roughly 6-8 hours, depending on how much fat you’re rendering it.  The fat will begin to turn brown and turn to liquid.  Give it an occasional stir to avoid any bits get struck to the sides or bottom and starting to burn.  It’s done rendering when at least half of the pieces are brown, are submerged under liquid fat, and the liquid fat is clear.   Avoid over-cooking the fat or the tallow will end up having a strong, borderline burnt flavor.  Line a fine mesh strainer with ultra fine cotton cheesecloth (essential for straining out impurities so your tallow doesn&#39;t develop mold) and place the strainer on top of a large glass bowl.  Ladle or pour the tallow through the cheesecloth.  Let it sit until the tallow has drained through. Once cool enough to handle, you can squeeze the cheesecloth to get any remaining tallow out.  Pour the liquid tallow into whatever glass jars you plan on storing the tallow in.  Wide mouth jars are easier to access.  Allow the tallow to cool completely before screwing the lids on the jars.  Store in a cool, dark place.  It will keep longer in the fridge, at least 3 months.   It can be frozen even longer.This will make roughly 1 quart of beef tallow.

Love your real Brit recipes. Thank you for your post.

I made some tallow today and some lard last week.  Really love your tutorials, they're written clearly and are easy to follow.  So excited to have my own fresh tallow and lard to use, yippee!

estuve buscando la mejor receta. y ésta es. Muchas gracias 🫂

This was very easy, much more so than expected, and I'm super happy with the results!  Can't wait to use my beef tallow to make homemade fries and lots of other things!

c’est géniale merci infiniment, j’ai essayé la recette et c’est bien réussi. moi je veux l’utiliser pour fabriquer un écran total pour protection solaire. 
merci

kimberly, thank you for your great recipe and instructions. I haven't had beef tallow since I was a kid on the farm 80 years ago and this brought back so many memories. my Crock-Pot, 7 quart, had too much surface area to render with the cover off but I did use the cover slightly cracked the let the steam Escape and that worked wonderful. and don't throw away the cracklins. I just fried some up this morning. they were so good and the grease that they shed flavored my hash browns and eggs wonderfully.

This was very easy, the instructions were clear and detailed.  This was my first time attempting to make tallow and it turned out perfectly.  Very, very pleased with the results, thank you!

Top 9 tallow recipes from across the web

The most viewed tallow recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Rendered Lamb or Goat Tallow

Bumblebee Apothecary Tallow

How to render beef tallow

Tallow Basted Seared Ribeye Recipe

Tallow Balm

Rendered Lamb or Goat Tallow

Bumblebee Apothecary Tallow Soap

Tallow Shampoo Bars

How to Make Beef Tallow

Top 9 tallow recipes from across the web

The most viewed tallow recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Rendered Lamb or Goat Tallow

Bumblebee Apothecary Tallow

How to render beef tallow

Tallow Basted Seared Ribeye Recipe

Tallow Balm

Rendered Lamb or Goat Tallow

Bumblebee Apothecary Tallow Soap

Tallow Shampoo Bars

How to Make Beef Tallow

The most viewed tallow recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine