Tallow, rendered beef fat, is one of the most versatile fats on Earth and can be used in ways you might not expect. While pre-made tallow can be pricey, beef fat is affordable and easy to get your hands on. Why buy tallow when you can render beef fat at home and create your own high-quality, multi-purpose fat? Let’s dive into the simple process of rendering beef fat and making your own tallow!

When you click on an affiliate link to Amazon from our website and make a purchase, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. See full disclosure here.

Tallow is like fatty gold—a nutrient-rich, versatile fat, especially when sourced from grass-fed beef. It’s perfect for cooking, beauty, soap-making, candles, leather conditioning, wood polishing, pet care, and so much more.

Pre-rendered tallow can be expensive so I prefer to make my own by sourcing quality beef fat directly.

Many butcher shops carry beef fat (also known as suet), either ready to purchase or available to order. If you’re near farm country, try reaching out in local Facebook groups or knock on a few doors—you’re likely to find affordable, high-quality beef fat from a farmer eager to clear some freezer space.

What is Tallow?

Tallow is rendered beef fat, which means it’s fat that has been slowly cooked down to separate the fat from any remaining bits of tissue.

Suet

Tallow is primarily made with suet which is the hard fat around the kidney and loins of a cow.

Does Making Your Own Tallow Save Money?

Yes! Tallow can be very expensive.

Amazon ranges from $20-25 for a pound of tallow. If you render your own, depending on the deal you get, a pound of tallow could range from free-$10 a pound, definitely a savings.

The time expense isn’t that much either. If you spend lots of time in the kitchen, it’s simply one extra thing on the stove top that needs attention, no big deal.

You can either buy or order beef fat (suet) pre-ground from the butcher or buy chunks from the butcher or local farmer and chop it up yourself. The ground beef fat renders down a lot quicker but both ways will work.

Grass-fed Tallow vs. Grain-fed Tallow

Depending on the quality of fat you’re able to source, your end product may have slightly different properties.

1. Nutrient Density

Cows raised on natural feed—such as grass, insects, and foraged foods—retain much more nutritional value in their fat compared to cows raised on commercial grain-based feeds that are synthetically enriched.

2. Omega-3 vs. Omega-6

Grass-fed beef fat contains higher levels of omega-3’s which are essential for supporting brain function, reducing inflammation and supporting heart health.

Conventionally raised, grain-fed beef fat contains higher levels of omega-6’s. Omega-6’s in excess can reduce brain function, increase inflammation, increase risk of heart disease, and have other damaging effects.

While is sounds like omega-6’s are the bad guys, they are also essential. Having omega-3’s and omega-6’s in balance is what you want for optimal health.

3. Vitamin D

Cows raised in pasture, in the sunshine, eating grass grown in the sun, contains more vitamin D in their fat than those that are raised in a dark feedlot eating processed grain-based feed. Vitamin D is essential for a ridiculous amount of bodily functions.

4. Contaminants

Cows that are grass-fed and raised on pasture have fewer pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and other harmful chemicals stored in their fat.

5. Flavour & Smell

Grass-fed tallow has a milder, cleaner, earthier flavour and smell vs. grain-fed tallow. Grain-fed tallow can have a stronger, beefier flavour and smell.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on these differences, though. Using tallow for its many applications is almost always a better choice than most alternatives, even if it’s from a grain-fed cow.

Tallow is a pure, natural, and nutrient-dense fat that has been used for centuries, long before our great-great-grandparents’ time. In a world full of chemical-laden products, if I have the option, I’d always opt for tallow over anything else. Its versatility in cooking, skincare, and other uses makes it a staple that’s hard to beat.

Top 3 Tips For Odourless Tallow

Use suet
Don’t overcook, maintain a strong simmer at most
Strain through a fine sieve and then an extra fine sieve

What Can Tallow Be Used For?

Tallow is surprisingly versatile and can be used for a variety of applications. From skin care to cooking, frying to polishing leather and wood, tallow offers a natural solution for many needs.

It’s also great for making soap, candles, and lip balms. The list of tallow’s uses is endless, making it an essential fat to have on hand.

Materials You’ll Need To Make Tallow

Large Pot
A large, heavy-bottomed pot is essential for rendering beef fat. It ensures the fat melts slowly and evenly without burning.

Kitchen Knife and Cutting Board (or Meat Grinder)
A sharp kitchen knife and cutting board are needed to cut the beef fat into small, uniform pieces. Alternatively, you can use a meat grinder for faster and more consistent results.

Wooden Spoon
A wooden spoon is helpful for stirring the fat as it renders. It allows you to mix without risking scraping or damaging the pot, and it won’t retain heat as a metal spoon might.

Large Fine Sieve
A large fine sieve is crucial for straining the rendered tallow from the cracklings. This will catch most of the solid bits, leaving you with smooth tallow.

Smaller Extra-Fine Sieve
After the first strain, use a smaller, extra-fine sieve to catch any remaining impurities or small pieces of fat. This step ensures you get pure, clean tallow.

2L Glass Measuring Bowl
To hold the large sieve and catch the tallow during the first straining.

Storage Vessel
For storing the rendered tallow, Weck jars or mason jars with lids work great, as they seal tightly and keep the lard fresh. However, if you don’t want to deal with cleaning greasy jars afterward, you can repurpose plastic containers, which are more convenient for easy disposal but may not be ideal for long-term storage.

Ingredients To Make Tallow

Beef Fat: Pasture-raised, local beef fat is the best choice. If possible, go for suet as it is the highest quality fat, perfect for beauty products and cooking.

How To Render Beef Fat – Make Tallow at Home

Prepare the Beef Fat: Store your beef fat in the freezer and remove it about 30 minutes before you plan to start rendering. This helps make the fat easier to chop.

Chop or Grind: Cut the beef fat into small pieces as uniformly as possible, without spending too much time on it. Alternatively, you can use a meat grinder to grind the fat, which speeds up the process.

Add Fat to Pot: Place the chopped or ground beef fat into a large, heavy-bottomed pot.

Start Rendering on Low Heat: Turn the heat to low and begin the slow rendering process. Stir the fat every 5-10 minutes to prevent it from burning at the beginning.

Increase Heat: Once you notice that some fat has accumulated at the bottom of the pot, you can safely increase the heat to low-medium. This will help speed up the rendering process and allow the fat to simmer, releasing any impurities.

Stir and Monitor: Keep stirring every 10-15 minutes, and monitor the temperature to maintain a steady, moderate heat. The fat should be slowly simmering, but not bubbling or overcooking.

Rendering Time: This process typically takes a couple of hours, depending on the amount of fat. You’ll know it’s done when there are no more small bubbles coming up and there are only small crispy bits left in the pot (these are called cracklings).

Set Up Straining: Place a large fine sieve over a 2L glass measuring jug to catch the rendered fat.

Strain the Fat: Pour the melted fat through the sieve into the jug, allowing the crispy bits (cracklings) to be caught in the sieve. Set the jug aside to let the fat cool slightly.

Use a Smaller Sieve: To further purify the tallow, place a smaller, extra-fine sieve over one of your storage jars. Slowly pour the tallow from the jug through this smaller sieve to catch any remaining bits and impurities.

Cool: Let the rendered tallow cool in the jars with the lids off. As it cools, it will solidify into a smooth, creamy texture.

Seal and Store: Once the tallow has fully cooled and solidified, put the lids on the jars tightly. Store the tallow in a cool, dark place. If you want to keep it for a longer period, you can refrigerate or freeze it.

Notes

The smaller the pieces of beef fat, the faster it will render. Cutting or grinding the fat into smaller, more uniform pieces helps speed up the process by allowing the fat to melt more evenly and quickly.

For the best results, fill your pot no more than 3/4 of the way with beef fat pieces. This allows enough space for the fat to melt and simmer without overcrowding, ensuring a more efficient rendering process and preventing the fat from splattering or burning.

Homemade Tallow

Bronwyn Case

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

Ingredients

2-5 lbs Beef Fat suet
1/2 cup Water optional

Instructions

Prepare the Beef Fat: Store your beef fat in the freezer and remove it about 30 minutes before you plan to start rendering. This helps make the fat easier to chop.
Chop or Grind: Cut the beef fat into small pieces as uniformly as possible, without spending too much time on it. Alternatively, you can use a meat grinder to grind the fat, which speeds up the process.
Add Fat to Pot: Place the chopped or ground beef fat into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Optional: add water to the pot to prevent burning at the beginning.
Start Rendering on Low Heat: Turn the heat to low and begin the slow rendering process. Stir the fat every 5-10 minutes to prevent it from burning at the beginning.
Increase Heat: Once you notice that some fat has accumulated at the bottom of the pot, you can safely increase the heat to low-medium. This will help speed up the rendering process and allow the fat to simmer, releasing any impurities.
Stir and Monitor: Keep stirring every 10-15 minutes, and monitor the temperature to maintain a steady, moderate heat. The fat should be slowly simmering, but not bubbling or overcooking.
Rendering Time: This process typically takes a couple of hours, depending on the amount of fat. You’ll know it’s done when there are no more small bubbles coming up and there are only small crispy bits left in the pot (these are called cracklings).
Set Up Straining: Place a large fine sieve over a 2L glass measuring jug to catch the rendered fat.
Strain the Fat: Pour the melted fat through the sieve into the jug, allowing the crispy bits (cracklings) to be caught in the sieve. Set the jug aside to let the fat cool slightly.
Use a Smaller Sieve: To further purify the tallow, place a smaller, extra-fine sieve over one of your storage jars. Slowly pour the tallow from the jug through this smaller sieve to catch any remaining bits.
Cool: Let the rendered tallow cool in the jars with the lids off. As it cools, it will solidify into a smooth, creamy texture.
Seal and Store: Once the tallow has fully cooled and solidified, put the lids on the jars tightly. Store the tallow in a cool, dark place. If you want to keep it for a longer period, you can refrigerate or freeze it.

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any health care decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

Storage

If done properly, tallow can be shelf stable for months in an airtight container.

If you feel like the batch you made may contain some water, store in the fridge or freezer for long-term storage.

I store my tallow in the freezer just to be safe.

How To Render Beef Fat | Make Tallow at Home

What is Tallow?

Suet

Does Making Your Own Tallow Save Money?