Rendering Beef Tallow

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Today I picked up beef from our processor. It was actually a little bit of a hectic day with the kiddos needing to be different places at the same time and beef deliveries to be made.

That’s neither here, nor there though. We all have those days. Am I right? 

Anyway, today I picked up beef and with it a fresh batch of grass-fed beef fat that we’ll render for tallow. Yay!

He and I got to chatting and he said he loves to spread tender tallow and spread it on his steaks when he’s grilling in the place of butter or oil but that he only does it small batches for one or two steaks at a time. Which is totally cool for him but I told him we use a slow cooker and do bigger batches and he said he’d never thought to use a slow cooker so here I am about to tell you how. 

Are you curious about the benefits and uses of tallow? Look no further! Today, Im excited to bring you a step-by-step guide on how to render tallow right in your slow cooker. 

This fuss-free method requires minimal effort and delivers exceptionally homemade, high-quality tallow for all your DIY projects.

Tallow, derived from beef fat, has been used for centuries in cooking, skincare, and even candles. Its natural composition and numerous benefits make it an essential ingredient for the self-sufficient enthusiast. 

Here’s a breakdown of the process:

Step 1: Source Quality Fat

To start, ensure you have a good supply of high-quality beef or lamb fat. Ask your local butcher for trimmings or suet, which are excellent choices for rendering tallow. 

By the way: Don’t be surprised if they want to charge you for it and you can easily expect to pay $2.50-$3.00/lb. It is much easier for them to toss the pieces with fat like around the kidneys and such, than to cut it off and save it for someone. Never hurts to ask though. 🙂

Step 2: Prep and Cut

Thoroughly rinse the fat under cold water, removing any impurities or residue. If not going from frozen cut the fat into small, uniform pieces. This will hasten the rendering process and optimize the yield.

Step 3: Set Up the Slow Cooker

Place the fat pieces into the slow cooker, don’t fill itmore than two-thirds of the way to prevent overflow. Set the cooker to its lowest temperature setting.

Step 4: Let It Slow Cook

Now, sit back and relax! Let the slow cooker do its magic as the fat gradually melts and renders into beautiful golden/white tallow. This process usually takes around 12-24 hours, depending on the amount of fat and the temperature of your slow cooker. We set ours outside on the porch and let it do it’s thing. 

Step 5: Strain and Store

Once the tallow has rendered completely, line a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a heat-resistant jar or container. Gently pour the liquid through the sieve, capturing any impurities or solid particles. Allow the tallow to cool and solidify before sealing the container.

That’s it. It’s that easy! Congratulations! 

You can now successfully render your own tallow using a slow cooker. This versatile ingredient can now be used for various applications, such as cooking, soap making, moisturizers, and more. If you don’t want to mess with it let me know and I can make you some soap or lotion. 😉

Hopefully this was helpful! 

If you’d like to discover more easy DIY recipes, natural skincare recipes, or sustainable living tips, be sure to explore the rest of the blog.