The Absolute Best Use For Beef Tallow

Beef tallow is beef fat that has been rendered, or cooked down, and allowed to harden. Once rendered, tallow looks similar to coconut oil and has the consistency of butter. Tallow has been used historically in a number of ways, from cooking to conditioning leathers, to skin care products, as well as candles and soaps, per Food Fire Friends. Although it has a long history and numerous uses, tallow fell out of popularity when synthetic fat oils like Crisco became more widespread in the early 1900s, according to Nutrition Advance.

You likely won't find beef tallow at most grocery stores, but it can be purchased online, or you can make it at home. To make it yourself, first start with grass-fed beef, so that you're getting the optimal amount of nutrients, then render the fat from a cut such as brisket, as outlined by Masterclass. Once you've gotten your hands on some tallow, you may wonder how you can use it in the kitchen.

Although it has many practical uses, replacing cooking oil with beef tallow in many recipes can be a smart and delicious choice. Because it has a high smoke point of 400 F, as reported by Serious Eats, it's excellent for frying, searing meats, and sautéing. Additionally, since it's made from beef, it also adds more flavor to dishes.

According to Pittsburgher Highland Farm, making fried rice in beef tallow will boost both the flavor and the color of the dish. And since it has a similar consistency to butter, tallow is great to bake with. Replacing tallow with oil or butter in pastries or other baking recipes can result in a flaky finished product, like when it's used in a piecrust as outlined by Nourished By Nature. Using tallow may not be ideal for everyone, but once you try it, you may be surprised at the flavor, color, and texture it adds to foods.