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Beef Tallow Recipe
Don’t throw away your beef trimmings! Even if it’s a small amount, keep a bag in your freezer and save all those scraps. When you have accumulated at least 1 pound of beef fat, it’s time to make some liquid gold! Once rendered, beef tallow can last in your fridge for 4 months but I’ve never had to keep it for that long.
Beef tallow creates a distinct, savory richness that plant-based oils simply can not replicate. It is solid at room temperature and highly resistant to oxidation. Beef Tallow is a reliable staple for high heat cooking and long term storage.
Why cook with beef tallow?
- Superior Searing: High smoke point is ideal for achieving crusty maillard reaction on proteins without burning the fat.
- Flavor Profile: Beef tallow adds a subtle, buttery beefiness to dishes. It enhances the natural umami of whatever you are cooking.
Make the best scrambled eggs with a small sliver of beef tallow instead of oil or butter. Use it for roasted potatoes for an exceptionally crispy exterior and tender middle. Stir fry with it and use it for just about anything you normally use butter or oil for. Beef tallow will make it better. I made a roux by replacing the butter in my mac and cheese. Roasted vegetables, hash browns, french fries, pie crusts… just do it. So good.
What’s in beef tallow?
- fat from beef
Beef Tallow
Making beef tallow is a very straight forward process. I often buy whole steaks from Stew Leonards and have them slice but not trim. Even if it is just a small amount, trim what you have and save them in the freezer. When you have at least 1 pound worth of fat, you can make beef tallow. Cut the fat up in small pieces and run them through the food processor. Smaller pieces helps the rendering process. Then simmer in a pot on the stove until the the fat turns into cracklings. Then pour through a strainer and viola, you have your liquid gold.
Ingredients
- Fat from beef (400 to 1000 grams)
- Water (4 to 8 ounces)
Instructions
- Cut beef fat into very small pieces until they resemble the texture of ground beef. You want to get as much surface area as possible. Alternatively, pulse the beef fat in your food processor.
- Add the beef fat to a pot. Add water to the pot and turn the heat to low. You want to get a low simmer. The water will keep the fat from burning in the bottom of your pot. If you have closer to 400 grams of fat, use about 4 ounces of water. If you have closer to 1000 grams of fat, use about 8 ounces of water.
- Simmer for 4 to 6 hours. Do not put a lid on the pot. You will want the water to evaporate. Stir the fat occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. As the water evaporates (or tries to), there may be some splattering when you stir. Keep a splatter screen over the pot to allow evaporation while protecting the area around the pot. The fat will turn into crispy cracklings as it renders.
- Pour everything through a fine mesh strainer. Reserve the tallow and discard the cracklings. As the liquid cools, it will turn solid and white. You can use right away or store the cooled beef tallow in a lidded container for up to 4 months in the fridge.
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