How to make beef tallow at home?

how to make beef tallow
Learn to make beef tallow at home

Beef tallow, also known as liquid gold, due to how expensive it can be, can be easily made at home using your existing kitchen appliances. In this post, we take a look at how to make beef tallow at home.

When buying or cooking large cuts of meat like briskets there are often large chunks of beef fat that go unused. Depending on the size of the cuts this could be several pounds of high quality beef fat that can be rendered into beef tallow. If you’re not cooking brisket don’t fret, there’s other ways to obtain beef fat.

Just today, we went to a butcher and bought a large cut of shell steaks. The butcher individual cut each steak and trimmed the fat prior to packaging. You paid for the full cut – don’t hesitate to ask for the trimmings! Similarly, if you’re interested in making tallow at home, you can also ask your local butcher for any fat trimmings they may have. In some cases, they will even give it away for free. So how do you make beef tallow? We’ll dive in below.

how to make beef tallow
Homemade beef tallow is a great alternative to butter, and vegetable oils

What is beef tallow and why do I want to make it at home?

Tallow the name of rendered beet fat, that is filtered to remove any external impurities like pieces of beef. It’s cooked slow and low to be rendered down into a clear liquid and is filtered before being placed in a jar. Once the clear liquid is filtered, and cooled, it will resemble a white creamy substance that can be used for anything from searing steaks, frying potatoes, or used as a butter substitute in your recipes.

Is beef tallow expensive?

Beef tallow can be hard to find in traditional grocery stores. Not only that, when you do find it, it can cost as low as $20.00 for a pound of it. Next time you throw away your beef trimmings thinking of it like throwing at $20 bill in the garbage. Prices can vary depending on the manufacturer and can even go up to $40 a pound. Making beef tallow at home will save you money and produce a superior product than what you will get from the store. If making beef tallow is too daunting – it shouldn’t be – you can buy beef tallow online.

store bought beef tallow
Store bought beef tallow can start at $20.00 a pound

How to make beef tallow?

There are a few different method of cooking beef tallow, but they have one common theme, it is always cooked slow and low. Beef tallow can be made using:

  • Dutch oven
  • Crock Pot
  • Big Green Egg/Kamado Joe, or a traditional smoker

The recipe for beef tallow is fairly simple, but it will take a few hours to fully render down the fat and have it ready to be strained and filtered into your jars.

How to Make Beef Tallow

Easily make beef tallow at home with beef trimmings
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Course: Spices & Rubs
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef tallow, cooking fat, tallow

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch Oven Crock Pot / Instant Pot can be used as alternatives
  • 1 Mesh Strainer Cheese Cloth

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs Beef Fat Trimmings

Instructions

  • Add beef trimmings to a stock pot or Dutch oven. You'll want to use at least two pounds of trimmings
  • If using the stove, place the burner on a low heat setting. You want slow and low, anything too hot, or a rolling boil can burn the fat leading to a brown, funky taste
  • Allow the fat to render for at least thirty minutes, then stir occasionally to ensure all the bits are evenly distributed and are being heated evenly
  • Keep an eye on the pot! The last thing you want is a rolling boil as it can lead to an inferior product.
  • Rendering the fat into a clear liquid will depend on how much trimmings you used, but this process can typically take between 2-4 hours
  • Once the liquid is ready, it's time to get ready to strain it
  • There are many methods out there, but we like to double strain it, first using a mesh strainer, and then again using cheese cloth to ensure we have removed all the impurities
  • When straining ensure that you are using a heat resistant dish that can accommodate the hot beef fat liquid
  • Once the beef fat is strained – you now have tallow! The tallow is ready to be used, but we like to funnel it into a mason jar for long term storage.
  • Once the beef tallow has cooled it will become a a cloudy white substance that solidifies – almost like butter.

How long will beef tallow last?

Beef tallow is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of cooking applications, from frying to baking to roasting. If you’ve never tried using beef tallow before, you may be surprised at how quickly you’ll go through it once you get a taste for it.

When it comes to storing beef tallow, the good news is that it has a relatively long shelf life. If stored in a sealed jar, such as a mason jar, beef tallow can last for up to three months. This means that you can make a large batch of beef tallow at once and store it in your pantry for future use.

That being said, depending on how frequently you use beef tallow, you may find that it doesn’t last quite that long. If you use it regularly in your cooking, you may find that you go through it much faster than three months. This is especially true if you love the flavor and find yourself using it in a variety of dishes.

One thing to keep in mind when storing beef tallow is that it should be kept in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. This will help to prevent the tallow from going rancid or developing off flavors. It’s also a good idea to use a clean, dry spoon or utensil when scooping the tallow out of the jar, as this can help to prevent contamination.

What can I use beef tallow for?

Beef tallow can be used for any meal ranging from breakfast to dinner. It’s commonly used as an alternative to butter. Many seed One of the best things about beef tallow is its high smoke point, which makes it ideal for frying and other high-heat cooking methods. This means that you can use it to fry up your favorite breakfast foods, like eggs and bacon, without worrying about it smoking or burning.

In addition to frying, beef tallow is also great for roasting and grilling. Its rich, savory flavor can add depth and complexity to everything from steaks and burgers to roasted vegetables and potatoes.

But beef tallow isn’t just limited to savory dishes. It can also be used as a substitute for butter in many different baking recipes, such as cookies, cakes, and pie crusts. Because of its high fat content, beef tallow can help to create a light and flaky texture in baked goods, while adding a subtle savory flavor.

Conclusion

While it’s true that beef tallow can be expensive to buy from specialty retailers, the good news is that it’s actually quite easy and affordable to make at home. With just a little effort in the kitchen, you can turn those beef trimmings that would otherwise go to waste into a delicious, healthy fat source that can be used in a wide variety of dishes.

To make beef tallow at home, all you need is some beef trimmings, a large pot or slow cooker, and some time and patience. Simply add the beef trimmings to the pot or slow cooker and let them cook down slowly over low heat. As the fat melts and separates from the meat, you can strain it off and transfer it to a jar or other container for storage.

The process of rendering beef tallow can take several hours, but the good news is that it requires very little active time in the kitchen. And the end result is well worth the effort – a rich, flavorful fat that can be used in a wide variety of dishes, from frying and roasting to baking and sauteing.

So the next time you smoke a brisket or visit the butcher, don’t forget to ask for those fat scraps – they could be the key to turning your excess meat trimmings into liquid gold. With a little time, patience, and effort, you can create a delicious and healthy fat source that you won’t regret.