In 2021, I vividly remember the day when I was given a heavy-duty garbage bag filled with suet, which is beef fat, from the cattle that we had raised and processed on our farm since 2019. It might seem unconventional, but receiving farm-fresh suet in a simple garbage bag was quite an experience.

With no fancy packaging or frills, it was up to me to break down the suet into smaller chunks and learn how to render it down, which involves liquefying and purifying the fatty tissue by applying heat. This process was a crash course in itself, and I found it incredibly rewarding. I ended up using the rendered suet to make beef tallow, a shelf-stable product that has various uses.

Beef tallow is essentially rendered down suet or beef fat from around the kidneys. Once it’s cooked down from its natural state, it can be allowed to harden in a mason jar or pans to freeze it and used in cooking, baking, frying, leather conditioning, skin care products, candles, and soaps. It’s packed with vitamins A, D, and K and adds a delightful flavor to dishes.

In the past, beef tallow was widely used for centuries without any artificial additives, but it gradually fell out of popularity with the introduction of synthetic alternatives like Crisco. However, I personally prefer using tallow in place of products like Crisco or vegetable oils.

Learning to make beef tallow has not only been a valuable skill for me but it’s also provided me with an incredibly versatile and healing home remedy. If you’re interested in making your own beef tallow at home, I’ve created a short video and a list of what you’ll need.

Read below how to make at the end how to make Whipped Tallow Balm.

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 pounds Strandquist Family Farm suet

• 1 Large Pot

• 1-2 Mason Jars or disposable muffin pan or disposable baking pan (you cut up in cubes)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut up suet into 1/2 inch to 1-inch pieces

2. Place chopped suet into a large stock pot.

3. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until a liquid forms and bacon-like pieces float on top

4. Remove pot from stove

5. Pour liquid through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth into jars or a muffin pan(s)

6. Put cap on mason jar

7. Let cool

8. Store in your pantry or cupboard or refrigerate or freeze for future use (tallow is shelf stable).

How to Make Whipped Tallow Balm

Yes, beef tallow is great for the skin due to its rich fatty acids, anti-inflammatory properties, and nutrient-dense compounds. These ingredients help to restore moisture and build the skin’s natural barrier, making it great for combating dryness and improving skin resilience. It also has vitamins A, D, E, and K which are all great for skin health.

The most budget-friendly way to get tallow cream is to buy the suet and render it into tallow and it is super easy. So now that you have already made your tallow, you will re-render it into a liquid form to create whipped tallow. This will make approximately 1 pint or 16 ounces.

**Ingredients:**

– 1 cup tallow

– 1/2 cup olive oil

– 7-10 drops of lavender essential oil or your favorite essential oils (optional)

**Instructions:**

1. Render the tallow into liquid form.

2. Pour the liquid tallow into a mixing bowl and let it firm up slightly (approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour).

3. Once it has cooled, add the olive oil and essential oils. The olive oil helps to lighten the mixture; without it, the tallow would remain hard. (Note: You can also use the tallow in its hard form as a moisturizer if you prefer not to add anything.)

4. With a stand mixer, hand mixer, or immersion blender, mix the ingredients until it’s light and fluffy.

5. Transfer the whipped tallow into a jar for storage.

Whipped Tallow Balm

Click HERE if you’d like to grab some suet to make your own homemade tallow.

Warmly,

Tessa