Post by Gaz on Aug 31, 2016 12:09:38 GMT 10
Rendering Tallow for Cooking and 12 Other Uses
Note: Tallow is the Generic name for Animal fat, Lard is from Pig Fat and Suite is from Sheep/lambs
Another Article on the benefits of Fat/Lard : footstepsfarm.com/footstepsfarmblog/httpdocs/footstepsfarmblog/2009_11_01_archive.html
12 Uses for Tallow
1. Cooking is the most obvious use at our home. Tallow has a high smoke point (420 degrees) making it an excellent oil for frying foods. This means you can fry on higher heats without creating free radicals in the oil which is a concern with vegetable oils.
2. Skin care – Saturated animal fat (tallow) was used for beauty products back before the low-fat myth became ‘truth.’ Your grandma and grandpa likely used it to heal cracked, dry hands and as a moisturizer.
Tallow is biologically compatible with our bodies largest organ, our skin. Animal fat contains vitamins A, D, K, and E.
Tallow (especially tallow from grass-fed animals) also contains fats like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as palmitoleic acid, which has natural antimicrobial properties. – Source
3. Lubricate stuff, like the proverbial squeaky wheel. Tallow greases moving parts but is resistant to water. Steam engines and ships uses tallow for many years to keep things running smoothly.
4. Flux for soldering.
5. Leather conditioner.
6. Soap making. The best shaving bars are made from tallow.
7. Candle making. Can’t make a traditional candle? Improvise by placing tallow in a container with a piece of cotton clothe in emergencies.
8. Biodegradable motor oil.
9. Deer tallow is preferred by German athletes to make a salve to prevent sore skin and blisters.
10. Biodiesel. Tallow can be used like plant-based material to produce diesel.
11. Make your own pemmican.
12. Pastry baking.
Extra one for the shooters!
13. Lubricate muskets and rifles.
The DiY Rendering Process
Note: You can get fat from most butchers or an abattoirs! You can buy fat/lard from the Supermarket but the products has been Hydrogenated and is not totally natural or beneficial to your body!
Step 1: Trim the grass-fed beef (or other animal fat). You want to get all the red meat off the fat.
Step 2: Cut into small squares. The smaller the cuts, the more surface area is exposed. I did this cutting twice. Then, in a stroke of SmartPrepper brilliance, I pulled out my meat grinder. Now I just stuff the trimmed fat into the meat grinder and collect it my cast iron pan.
Way faster and creates more surface area!
Way faster and creates more surface area!
Step 3: Load your cut or ground fat into a pan or cooking container. I use a large cast iron skillet. Be careful not to overload the pan with fat. It will cook down. But you don’t want to have to transfer hot tallow if it’s up to the lip of your container.
Step 4: Heat your pan of fat on low heat. I shoot for 200-250 degrees. I set up in my outdoor kitchen. My turkey fryer is my heat source. You can use your stove if you don’t mind smelling up your house a bit. It ain’t as bad as cooking chitlins. Still, a distinctive odor.
Almost ready.
Step 5: Stir the fat occasionally just make sure it doesn’t sick to the bottom of your pan. You’ll notice liquid starting to collect in the pan. If it begins to smoke, you’re burning fat and not rendering it. Turn down the heat.
Step 6: Once you notice the fat turning a dark brown (think crispy bacon), you’re done. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a while. If it cools to room temp, you’ll have to reheat to liquify for pouring.
Step 7: Once it’s cooled down a bit, pour the contents through a fine mesh strainer. You can add cheese cloth to the strainer to catch even smaller pieces. I’ve stored tallow in wide mouth mason jars. We go through tallow pretty quickly around here. Mostly, we just pour it up in a few two quart containers and place them in the fridge. Tallow can be stored in the freezer as well.
Oxidation can cause the tallow to go rancid. From what I’ve read and followed myself, rendering the water out of the tallow prevents the oxidation to occur. To be on the safe side, we store ours in the fridge.
Long Term Storage of Rendered Fat!
Canning is the Best method for long term Storage!
Canning is the Best method for long term Storage!