Tallow

Tallow is a rendered form of beef or mutton suet, primarily made up of triglycerides.

Tallow is animal fat that has been rendered, that is, melted down and purified, typically from beef or mutton.

It has a long history of use in cooking, soap making, and as a traditional food source.

Tallow is primarily composed of saturated fats (about 50-55%) and monounsaturated fats (about 40-45%), with smaller amounts of polyunsaturated fats.

While saturated fats were historically considered unhealthy, more recent research suggests a more nuanced view: saturated fats from natural sources like tallow may not have the negative cardiovascular effects once thought.

Tallow, particularly from grass-fed animals, contains fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Tallow has a high smoke point (around 400°F/200°C), making it more stable for cooking than many vegetable oils, which can break down into harmful compounds when heated.

Tallow was a staple cooking fat in many cultures before the rise of vegetable oils.

Some health experts suggest moderate consumption of high-quality tallow, from grass-fed animals, can be part of a balanced diet, while others recommend limiting intake due to its saturated fat content.

Tallow is animal fat that conforms to certain technical criteria, including its melting point.

Commercial tallow commonly contains fat derived from other animals, such as lard from pigs, or even from plant sources.

Tallow consists mainly of triglycerides, whose major constituents are derived from stearic and oleic acids.

The solid material remaining after rendering is called cracklings, greaves, or graves.

It has been used mostly for animal food, such as dog food.

The name tallowate is used informally to refer to soaps made from tallow.

Tallow is 100% fat, mainly of monounsaturated fats (52%) and saturated fats (42%), and contains no water, protein or carbohydrates.

Beef Tallow

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy 902 kcal

Carbohydrates 0 g

Fat 100 g

Saturated 42 g

Monounsaturated 50 g

Polyunsaturated 4 g

Protein 0 g

Cholesterol 109 mg

Fat percentage can vary.

The fatty acid content of tallow is:

Saturated fatty acids:

Palmitic acid (C16:0): 26% Stearic acid (C18:0): 14% Myristic acid (C14:0): 3%

Monounsaturated fatty acids: Oleic acid (C18-1, ω-9): 47% Palmitoleic acid (C16:1): 3%

Polyunsaturated fatty acids: Linoleic acid: 3% Linolenic acid: 1%

A significant use of tallow is for the production of shortening.

With a smoke point of 480 °F (249 °C), tallow is traditionally used in deep frying and was preferred for this use until the rise in popularity of plant oils for frying.

Restaurants switched to pure vegetable oils in 1990, and now Tallow is making a comeback in certain nutrition circles.

Greaves (also graves) or cracklings is the fibrous matter remaining from rendering, typically pressed into cakes and used for animal feed, especially for dogs and hogs, or as fish bait.

Tallow can be used for the production of biodiesel in much the same way as oils from plants are currently used.

Tallow also has a use in printmaking, where it is combined with bitumen and applied to metal print plates to resist acid etching.

Tallow is used to make a biodegradable motor oil.

Mutton tallow is widely used as starch, lubricant and softener in textile manufacturing.