How to Render Beef Fat

Learn to render raw fat into a shelf-stable, nutrient-rich fat for use in cooking, baking, and skincare.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 15

Serving Size 8 (2 cups tallow)

Remove any visible meat and larger pieces of connective tissue from the beef fat. Small bits don’t need to be removed.
Cut the fat into small pieces (about ½ inch or smaller). Smaller pieces render faster and more efficiently. You can also grind it for a higher yield.
Place the fat in a heavy-bottomed pot over the lowest heat. Let it slowly melt, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even rendering.
Once enough fat has liquefied, gently pour it through a fine mesh sieve into jars. Return remaining solids to the pot and continue rendering until finished.
When no more liquid fat comes out of the cracklings, strain everything into clean jars. You can also strain again through cheesecloth or a coffee filter for extra purity.
Let the tallow cool at room temperature until fully solid and white. Seal tightly and store in a cool, dry pantry.

To make tallow you can use fat from lamb, goat, beef, deer, or any other hoofed ruminant animal.
1kg/2.2 lb raw chopped fat will yield approximately 2 to 2 1/2 cups of rendered tallow. However, you can use this recipe no matter the amount of fat you have on hand.
Store tallow in tightly sealed jars in a cool, dry cupboard away from direct sunlight. Properly rendered tallow is shelf-stable and keeps well for many months. It can also be refrigerated (for extra firmness) or frozen for long-term storage.