It can definitely be categorized as another one of those “buzzwords” that you might not have heard of until you entered the Paleo or primal world.
What is tallow?
Tallow is fat rendered from meat other than pork – most commonly beef. Basically, pork is to lard as beef is to tallow. Tallow is processed from the suet of an animal. Suet is the hard, nutrient-dense fat that surrounds the kidneys and loins. This fat is rendered (melted down), the impurities removed, and used as a high-quality cooking fat.
Tallow is often considered a must-have in many Paleo kitchens. This is for a number of reasons. First off, tallow has a relatively high smoke point of 420℉. In fact, it was used for frying in most fast food restaurants up until the 1970’s when the vegetable oil industry started advocating for the use of vegetable oils instead.
What’s the benefit of a high smoke point? This means that the fat can be heated at high temperatures without oxidizing and creating free radicals. Tallow’s smoke point even exceeds that of coconut oil and lard. The less free radicals we consume in our diet, the better.
Tallow is also nutrient-dense. It naturally contains conjugated linoleic acid – a dietary supplement that is commonly marketed as having a host of health benefits including cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits. It also contains antioxidants, fat-soluble vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids.
As with all meats we consume, you will want to choose the highest quality meat you can find. Always aim for grass-fed (and finished) beef. This meat will have a better nutrient profile than conventionally-raised meat.
You can find grass-fed tallow online and in some speciality stores. As convenient as this is, it is usually an expensive pick-up. Luckily, you can make it at home for much cheaper! You’ll want to reserve a whole day for the process, but it is simple and will save you money in the long run.
Here’s how:
Go to your local butcher, health food store, farmer’s market, or ranch and ask if they have fat from grass-fed cows. In most cases, this fat is thrown away, so you can find it for relatively cheap (or even free!) Remember – stick to grass-fed beef only.
You’ll have to get your hands dirty for this step. Trim off the the gristle, bloody parts, meat, and other extras around the fat. Then cut the fat into small chunks. This will be more manageable if the fat is cold when handling it. Some experts recommend putting the fat in the refrigerator the night before you make the tallow. After chopping the fat into smaller chunks, run it through the food processor until it has the consistency of ground meat. This will speed up the rendering process.
Place the fat into a sturdy-bottomed pot over LOW heat – the lower the better. The last thing you want to do is burn the fat and oxidize the fatty acids. Melt down the fat. Depending on the amount you’re working with, this could take many hours. Be sure to check on the fat every 30 minutes or so and give it a stir to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the fat melts down, the impurities will rise to the top. This is good.
Once it’s melted all the way down, it’s time to strain. Place a strainer over a container (don’t use plastic because the tallow will be hot). Line the strainer with cheesecloth, and dump the contents of the pan into the strainer. It should catch all the impurities and leave you with a golden colored liquid in the container.
You can leave the tallow in the container or portion it out into glass jars. Once it cools, it will harden and turn a creamy white or yellow color.
You can store tallow in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. It can also be kept in the freezer.
Have you made tallow before? What’s your favorite way to use it? Find hundreds of new recipes (and ways to incorporate tallow) at paleodietrecipes.com.
Tallow is not just a cooking medium but a significant source of vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as essential fatty acids. Consuming tallow aligns with the carnivore diet's emphasis on animal products, as it eschews plant-based oils in favor of animal fats.
If you haven't guessed, tallow is indefinitely paleo. There really isn't any question there. It provides a savory flavor in cooking and is sought after not only for its taste, but also its resistance to heat damage. In fact, it is more resistant than coconut oil and even lard, due to its high saturated fat content.
Tallow consists mainly of triglycerides (fat), whose major constituents are derived from stearic and oleic acids. The solid material remaining after rendering is called cracklings, greaves, or graves. It has been used mostly for animal food, such as dog food.
Beef tallow is used in an incredible number of ways, including: high-heat cooking, making fries, baking, as an ingredient in candles, making shortening, as an industrial lubricant, for biodiesel, medicine, rifle grease, and more.
Boosts your immune health – with unprocessed fats like beef tallow in your diet, it's easier for your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins that support your immune system. Rich in nutrients – not only does it help you absorb more nutrients from your food, but beef tallow is also rich in vitamins A, D, E, K, and B1.
4. Suet and Tallow Are Healthy Fats. Suet and Tallow, just like avocado oil and coconut oil consists of natural and healthy unrefined saturated fats ~ an ideal daily addition to your healthy diet. Processed vegetable and seed oils like Canola Oil and Sunflower Oil are high in unhealthy polyunsaturated fats.
“Tallow, because it's high in oleic acid just like olive oil is, it's been shown to disrupt the skin barrier and actually cause more irritation versus plant oils that are high in linoleic acid,” Shah said, explaining why it's “not really the best moisturizer.”
What are the main differences between tallow and lard? Tallow comes from beef and has a rich, savory flavor, perfect for frying and roasting, while lard, derived from pig fat, has a mild, neutral taste, making it ideal for baking and creating flaky pastries.
Tallow is a natural source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Your body can't put these vitamins to work without a bit of fat, so getting them from tallow is like a two-for-one perk. Adding more tallow to your diet may help you better absorb these vitamins from other foods too.
The fatty acid complex also makes tallow antimicrobial and antifungal which, along with its anti-inflammatory properties, helps it clear the skin of pesky conditions like acne, breakouts, eczema, and rashes. Being identical to our skin, tallow is very easily absorbed despite being heavier than other plant based oils.
As it turns out, the beef tallow had added more than just cholesterol to the signature french fry. To compensate for the loss of meaty flavor, McDonald's added “natural beef flavor.” Even worse, the fries lost much of the contrasting soft and crunchy texture that Kroc loved, and the new fries weren't exactly healthier.
The predominant source of tallow comes from cattle and is a by-product of the meat industry. At the time of slaughter for human consumption at registered abattoirs/meatworks around the world, the carcasses are first stripped of their hides for the leather industry, whilst hooves and horns are removed to the glue pots.
For frying and a beefier taste, use tallow. For a lighter taste and as a fat source in baking, opt for lard. And in both situations, always opt for tallow and lard from grass-fed, grass-finished, and pasture-raised animals — the negative health effects from industrially-produced lard and tallow are not worth it.
While a strict carnivore diet only allows animal fats like tallow and lard, adding supplemental fat in the form of Avocado Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil is acceptable for more relaxed carnivores. Avocado oil has a high smoke point, around 520°F, which is why we gravitate toward it for baking, broiling, and sauteing.
+ Reduces inflammation – tallow contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. + May help protect the body from infection – one of the fatty acids in beef tallow – palmitoleic acid – possesses fantastic antimicrobial properties, which may help to ward off infections.
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