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Learning how to make beef tallow from fat is one of the simplest ways to stock your kitchen with a traditional, nourishing cooking fat.
Skip the grocery store versions with added ingredients and make your own at home using just one thing: beef fat. No special tools, no complicated steps—just slow rendering and a little patience.
If you enjoy making pantry staples from scratch, you’ll also love my Homemade Powdered Sugar, Chili Seasoning Mix, and Ground Cinnamon. Recipes like these keep your kitchen well stocked, save money, and give you complete control over ingredients and quality.
Why You’ll Love This Beef Tallow Recipe
- One simple ingredient: Just pure beef fat trimmings, the way tallow should be made.
- Long-lasting pantry staple: Stores well and can be used for cooking, frying, and baking in place of vegetable oils.
- Traditional and versatile: A time-tested animal fat with excellent flavor and a high smoke point, perfect for deep frying.
Equipment
How to Make Beef Tallow From Fat
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 250°F.
Step 2: Cut the beef fat into large chunks. There’s no exact size required—just avoid leaving it in one solid piece (Photo 1).
Step 3: Place the fat chunks into an 8×8 baking dish (Photo 2).
Step 4: Bake for 3 hours at low heat, allowing the fat to slowly render (Photo 3).
Step 5: Carefully remove the dish from the oven. Pour the liquid fat through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-safe measuring cup or bowl (Photo 4).
Step 6: Immediately pour the strained liquid into mason jars or other heat-safe jars and loosely secure the lids (Photos 5-8).
Step 7: Allow the jars to cool to room temperature. Tighten the lids fully, then refrigerate for 48 hours, or until the tallow is fully set.
Tips for Success
- I like to place the jars upside down in the refrigerator while the tallow sets. This allows any remaining water to separate, making it easy to pour off once solid.
- Once chilled, beef tallow will be a soft solid fat. At room temperature, it softens and becomes more fluid—this is completely normal and similar to how coconut oil behaves.
- Beef tallow has a high smoke point, making it excellent for frying, roasting, and sautéing with less kitchen smoke.
- Used it in place of butter, lard, or oil in most recipes.
- It’s fine if a few small pieces of meat are still attached to the fat—it will render down without issue.
How to Store
Beef tallow can sit at room temperature for up to 1 month, but it lasts several months in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight jar. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but refrigeration greatly extends its shelf life.
Any water left in the fat will settle. Simply pour it off once the tallow is fully set.
It’s excellent for frying eggs, French fries, roasting vegetables, cooking meats, and even baking.
Beef tallow is a traditional cooking fat that’s been used for centuries. It’s considered a healthy cooking fat when sourced from quality beef because it’s heat-stable, minimally processed, and naturally free from additives. Many people use it as an alternative to unhealthy refined seed oils, especially for high-heat cooking.
More Homemade Pantry Staples
- Ranch Dressing Mix
- Homemade Herbs de Provence
- Taco Seasoning
- Everything Bagel Seasoning
- Homemade Rice Flour
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
How to Make Beef Tallow From Fat
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Fresh Beef Fat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Be sure to cut your fat into large chunks. There’s no magic size, just as long as it’s not in one big piece.
- Place the fat chunks into an 8×8 baking dish.
- Cook for 3 hours.
- Remove from the oven. Be careful to not burn yourself.
- Pour the liquid from the pan, through a fine strainer, into a pourable measuring cup or bowl.
- Immediately pour the liquid from the bowl/measuring cup into jars and secure the lids.
- Let the fat come to room temperature. Tighten the lids one more time and then place the fat in the refrigerator for 48 hours or until set.
Notes
- I like to place the jars upside down in the refrigerator while the tallow sets. This allows any remaining water to separate, making it easy to pour off once solid.
- Once chilled, beef tallow will be a soft solid fat. At room temperature, it softens and becomes more fluid—this is completely normal and similar to how coconut oil behaves.
- Beef tallow has a high smoke point, making it excellent for frying, roasting, and sautéing with less kitchen smoke.
- It can be used in place of butter, lard, or oil in most recipes.
- If a few small pieces of meat are still attached to the fat, that’s perfectly fine—it will render down without issue.
Hello! I’m excited to render what’s in my freezer soon! Have you ever used tallow in baking such as muffins or cake?
Hi Chloe! Yes, you can use it in baked goods in place of butter or shortening. It’s especially great for pastries and biscuits.