• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Mary's Nest

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Recipes and Videos
  • Shopping Guide
  • About
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

What is Tallow and How is it Different from Suet?

Learn about rendering beef fat and where the best suet comes from.

November 10, 2021 By Mary's Nest Leave a Comment

What is Tallow and How is it Different from Suet?

Watch the What is Tallow video

Ever wondered what tallow is? In this video, I explain what tallow is and how it is different from suet.

*Affiliates note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My videos and blog posts may contain affiliate links to products and services. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay.

What is Tallow?

Tallow is a type of rendered beef fat that is rendered from beef suet. Rendering melts the fat and separates the impurities. If you’re new to making traditional foods and especially new to cooking with traditional fats, I go into more detail in the following sections.

How is Beef Tallow Different than Beef Suet?

Tallow is rendered beef fat, but what is the relationship of beef fat to beef suet? Suet is a specific type of beef fat that is removed from around the internal organs of a cow.

The best suet is the fat that is removed from around the kidneys of the cow. Once rendered, this suet is called tallow. (Watch my explanatory video for more information.)

Tallow is an excellent fat for cooking or baking for many reasons:

  • Suet, as opposed to other types of beef fat, does not smell or taste like beef!
  • Once suet is rendered into tallow, it has a very high smoke point.
  • Tallow is shelf-stable at room temperature.
  • Tallow is very rich in nutrients.

As you can see, tallow rendered from suet is definitely something we want to have in our traditional foods kitchen!

What Type of Fat Can You Get From Beef Bone Broth?

When you make beef bone broth and then chill it, you may see a layer of fat form at the top. Technically this is not tallow. It is fat that that has dissolved from the muscle meat during the bone broth making process.

This fat is very nutritious and can be used in the same way that you would use tallow. The only difference is that it is softer than tallow at room temperature, and it has a shorter shelf-life than tallow when left out at room temperature.

As you can see in the picture below, tallow is quite hard at room temperature.

Learn how to use beef fat from beef bone broth in the following video.

How to Use Beef Fat or Beef Tallow from Bone Broth Video
  • How to Use Beef Fat or Beef Tallow from Bone Broth

Learn How to Make Real Beef Tallow

You will be surprised to learn how easy it is to render suet to make tallow. In the following recipe video, I walk you through the entire process step-by-step.

  • How to Make Beef Tallow

Make Apple Fritters with Beef Tallow

When it comes to deep-frying, nothing works as well as beef tallow! So if you enjoy making apple fritters, be sure to fry them up in tallow. You will be so pleased with the wonderfully crispy exterior that you will achieve with this animal fat!

  • How to Make Old Fashioned Apple Fritters

Balms and Creams with Beef Tallow

Keep in mind that tallow rendered from suet does not smell like beef, so it is perfect for making balms and creams. In addition, tallow is amazingly nourishing to your skin. Once you start using homemade tallow balm, you’ll never want to buy commercial-prepared and chemically-laden creams again. I’m in my mid-60s, and I love my tallow balm!

Tallow Balm Easy DIY Homemade Moisturizer Recipe Video
  • Learn How to Make Tallow Balm – Easy DIY Homemade Moisturizer

Do you have cracked heels? If so, be sure to try making your own tallow foot cream. It’s easy to do, and your heels will be petal soft in no time!

  • Foot Cream for Cracked Heels – Homemade Whipped Tallow Lavender Foot Cream

How to Render Chicken Fat

Once you have incorporated tallow into your traditional foods kitchen, be sure to try rendering other animal fats, including chicken fat and pork fat. These fats are incredibly nutritious!

Rendered chicken fat, or schmaltz as it is known, is a must-have ingredient for chopped chicken livers.

  • How to Make Schmaltz – Rendered Chicken Fat
  • How to Make Chopped Chicken Livers

How to Render Pork Fat

When it comes to baking, no traditional foods kitchen would be complete without lard—and even better—leaf lard! I show you how to make lard the right way in the following video.

  • How to Make Lard – The Right Way!

Pork fat from around the kidneys is called leaf fat, and like suet, this leaf fat produces a nutritious fat called leaf lard, which does not smell like pork. Bakers prize leaf lard, as it will create the most tender and flaky pie crust you have ever had. So throw out that can of highly processed vegetable shortening and add lard to your pantry!

But don’t worry if you can’t find leaf fat. Back fat from the pig can also be rendered into lard. It will have a slight pork aroma and flavor, but it works beautifully in savory recipes, including savory baked goods.

Looking for Beef Suet or Beef Tallow?

If you can’t find beef suet or beef tallow in your neighborhood supermarket or farmer’s market, check out US Wellness Meats.

  • Use discount code MARYNEST and my link to save 15% off regular-priced items on your US Wellness Meats order. You can shop for:
    • Tallow and Suet
    • Beef Bones
    • Grass-Fed Beef
    • Free-Range Whole Chickens

This is not a sponsored post. I’m a long-time customer of US Wellness Meats because I have always been impressed by the quality of their products. Check out my US Wellness Meats unboxing video to see the types of products you can get, including bones for beef bone broth!

Mary with a US Wellness Meats shipping box.
  • US Wellness Meats Unboxing – Beef Bones for Bone Broth

Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List

As you begin your journey leaving a processed foods kitchen behind and building your traditional foods kitchen, you will want to download my FREE 36-page Essential Traditional Foods Pantry List.

In addition to listing what you need to stock your pantry, I also share lots of links to videos and printable recipes for how to use what you stock. So don’t delay. Download and start using your copy today!

  • FREE 36 Page Traditional Foods Pantry List – Printable Pantry Staples List

Kitchen Academy Videos

Are you looking for more traditional foods videos? Then, I invite you to join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy. Members of this optional paid YouTube community get access to exclusive videos, live streams, and other members-only perks. Plus, your YouTube comments include a special members-only badge.

JOIN NOW
And become a Traditional Foods Kitchen Pioneer

In the following members-only video, I talk about The Importance of Cooking with Traditional Fats: Animal Fats.

  • The Importance of Cooking with Traditional Fats: Animal Fats

Trending Posts on Mary’s Nest

  • Enter the Survival Garden Seeds Giveaway
  • How to Fight Rising Grocery Prices with New Foods
  • Master Recipe for How to Make a Medicinal Herbal Soup
  • Why You Need to Stock Up On these Top 15 Foods NOW for Your Prepper Pantry!

Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest

  1. Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.

  2. Subscribe to Mary’s Traditional Foods Newsletter (Free) - Get a free eBook for signing up: How to Stock Your Essential Traditional Foods Four-Corners Pantry.

  3. Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy (Optional Paid) - For more detailed videos, live streams, and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.

I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!

Love,
Mary ♥

Shop for items used in this blog post or video

Favorite Kitchen Supplies

  • Favorite Aprons
  • Large Dutch Oven
  • 10-Piece Glass Bowl Set
  • 10-Quart Slow-Cooker
  • Stainless Steel Strainer
  • Spatula Spoon
  • Large Measuring Cup
  • 2-Cup Glass Storage Jars with Lids

More Kitchen Supplies with Discount Codes

  • Mockmill Grain Grinder and Whole Grains (including Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt)

Use my Mockmill affiliate link for a special one-time 5% discount on Mockmill Stone Grain Mill products, including Ancient Grains, like Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt. (The Mockmill discount will appear when you checkout.)

  • Masontops Fermentation Kit

Use promo code MARYSNST for a one-time 15% off Masontops and Breadsmart products on Amazon.com.

Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide

  • Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
  • Visit my Shopping Guide page
    Learn where I buy my beef bones, electric grain mills, sprouted grains, and more…and get special discounts for Mary’s Nest visitors, including from US Wellness Meats, Mockmill, Masontops, and Cultures for Health.

Recommended Reading

  • Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient
  • Know Your Fats : The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol
  • Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats
  • Nourishing Fats: Why We Need Animal Fats for Health and Happiness

**Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, including text, images, videos, eBooks or eGuides, social media, or other formats, were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched in a video or read on this website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video and website will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this website or corresponding video channel.

Filed Under: Rendered Fat, Uncategorized, What is Suet, What is Tallow Tagged With: Beef Fat, Beef Fat Trimmings, Rendered Beef Fat, Suet, Tallow

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Mary

Mary's Nest with Beef Bone Broth Jar
...And I'm so glad you're here.

Do you want to be a Modern Pioneer in the Kitchen and be part of the Traditional Foods Movement? If so, you’ve found a home!

I'll show you how to create Traditional "Nutrient Dense" Foods, including Bone Broths, Cultured Dairy, Ferments, Sourdough Bread and More!

  • New to Traditional Foods?
  • Blog and videos
  • Shopping Guide and Discount Codes

Kitchen Academy

Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
  • Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy for exclusive videos and live streams

Search

Recent Posts

  • Enter the Survival Garden Seeds Giveaway
  • How to Fight Rising Grocery Prices with New Foods
  • Master Recipe for How to Make a Medicinal Herbal Soup
  • Why You Need to Stock Up On these Top 15 Foods NOW for Your Prepper Pantry!
  • How to Make the Best Home Remedy for Colds and Flu

Archives

Categories

Amazon Links

Mary's Nest Shop
  • Mary's Nest Amazon Shop - Great ideas for:
    • • Bone Broth
    • • Kitchen Tools
    • • Cookbooks
    • • Baking Supplies
    • • Canning Items
    • • Food Preservation
    • • Self-Sufficiency
    • ...and more!

Food Links

Mockmill
  • Get 5% off your Mockmill purchase

US Wellness Meats
  • US Wellness Meats - Get bones for Beef Broth and more!
    (Note: Use promocode MARYNEST to save 15% off regular-priced items on your US Wellness Meats order.)

Let’s Socialize!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

Mary's Nest Cooking School logo

Mary’s Nest

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Recipes and Videos
  • Shopping Guide
  • About
  • Contact

Search

  • Privacy Policy

Subscribe to Mary’s Newsletter

Privacy policy

Copyright © 2023 · Mary's Nest, LLC, All Rights Reserved · Log in

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site, we will assume that you agree to the use of such cookies.Ok