How To Render Fat To Make Homemade Beef Tallow
This recipe on how to render fat to make homemade beef tallow is an easy recipe that takes minimal equipment and only one ingredient! With just a slow cooker, you can have beef tallow ready by the end of the day, to make all of your homemade essentials.
I’m sure that by now you’ve heard a lot of talk about replacing vegetable oils, PUFAS (polyunsaturated fats), or any cooking oil with beef tallow, but did you know that you can use it in so many more ways than just in your kitchen? With a number of companies catching on and marketing it, it’s become an overwhelming endeavor scouring amazon for the best quality of tallow for your family and has become costly too.
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With a quick trip to your local butcher and equipment not exceeding much more than a simple crockpot, you can have pounds of your very own beef tallow made for only a few dollars! And the best part is, it doesn’t take a long time! For me, this is the ultimate cooking fat. Well, second to butter, of course! (How to make butter here!) With a high smoke point, this liquid gold can definitely be used in the place of butter, olive oil, coconut oil, or pork fat. It’s perfect for all of your deep frying needs. Not to be confused with lard, tallow is derived from my favorite ruminant, the cow, where as lard is fat from a pig.
Why Beef Tallow?
Beef tallow is an amazing cholesterol rich food that is the rendered fat from beef suet. If you’ve ever bought bird seed then chances are you’ve heard the word “suet” but never knew what it was. Suet is the fat that collects around the kidneys of the cow. Tallow has many health benefits and will not only help you absorb more nutrients from your food, but also provide you with an ample amount of vitamins such as: A, D, E, K, and B1. It also contains conjugated linoleic acid. This helps to reduce inflammation.
Not only is tallow good for you internally but externally as well. Remember how I mentioned it can be used in more ways than just in your kitchen? Tallow balm is the perfect remedy for your skin in harsh winters, hydrating the extremely dry skin. I even use it in my husband’s hair wax recipe. Just a splash of essential oils added and your hair will smell wonderful! Our ancestors relied on animal fats to light their homes. They tend to be more sustainable than soybeans, and less estrogenic! And yes, you can even invite song birds into your yard by mixing up suet and seeds for a cheap treat! Lucky you!
What you’ll need:
1 package of suet
Crockpot
Knife or food processor
Cutting board
Slotted spoon
Fine mesh strainer
Large pot
Rubber mold, mason jars, or an airtight container
Tea towel, cheese cloth, or coffee filter
Paper towel for cleanup
Rubber gloves(optional)
How to render fat to make homemade beef tallow:
Bring Suet to room temperature if it’s frozen. Place the slow cooker on very low heat. Do not cook the fat trimmings at high temperatures as this will burn your fat and cause it to smell beefy! This is key, especially if you’re wanting to use it as a tallow balm or a candle. Chop the suet into small pieces, removing any bits of meat. Place the fat trimmings in the crock pot. Place the top on. Allow it to simmer on low, stirring the small chunks every 30 minutes for the first hour to an hour and a half. This is the best way to keep it from burning. The rendering process will take a few hours.
Once the fat melts and there are little golden crunchy bits floating on top, it’s time to strain your tallow. Place the tea towel in a strainer and the strainer inside a bowl. Slowly pour liquid tallow into the lined strainer. Careful! This can be painfully hot, so wearing gloves will make it more tolerable to handle and keep you from getting burned. Gather sides of towel up to ring out the extra tallow. Place the finished tallow in a storage container or mold. Tallow can be stored in a dark place or in the fridge for several months.
How To Render Fat To Make Homemade Beef Tallow
Ingredients
- 1 package beef suet
Instructions
- Bring Suet to room temperature if it's frozen. Place the slow cooker on very low heat. Do not cook the fat trimmings at high temperatures as this will burn your fat and cause it to smell beefy! This is key, especially if you're wanting to use it as a tallow balm or a candle. Chop the suet into small pieces, removing any bits of meat. Place the fat trimmings in the crock pot. Place the top on. Allow it to simmer on low, stirring the small chunks every 30 minutes for the first hour to an hour and a half. This is the best way to keep it from burning. The rendering process will take a few hours. Once the fat melts and there are little golden crunchy bits floating on top, it's time to strain your tallow. Place the tea towel in a strainer and the strainer inside a bowl. Slowly pour liquid tallow into the lined strainer. Careful! This can be painfully hot, so wearing gloves will make it more tolerable to handle and keep you from getting burned. Gather sides of towel up to ring out the extra tallow. Place the finished tallow in a storage container or mold. Tallow can be stored in a dark place or in the fridge for several months.
