What is Tallow & Why We Use it.
I’m guessing you’ve heard of tallow recently; it seems to be all the rage in health circles. It’s the stuff our grandmothers used to have on hand all of the time! And it’s time we get back to many of the good things our grandmothers did and stop relying on “new” products that promise to keep us healthy. Now that we’ve discovered the benefits of cooking and using tallow, we always have some on hand and have started offering in our Farm Store.
What is tallow?
Tallow is simply melted animal fat. Another fat that you may have heard of is lard. Lard comes from pig fat and all other animal fat is referred to as tallow. Tallow and lard are nutrient dense products that can be used in many different ways.
How can tallow be used?
Cooking with tallow adds rich nutrients to your diet, allows you too cook at high smoke point and adds wonderful flavor. Tallow gets all of its calories from fat, without any of the calories from proteins or carbohydrates. This makes tallow a great choice for those on a low-carb or ketogenic diet. Tallow can also be cooked at a high temperature making it great for pan frying and high temperature roasting. As a substitute for any other cooking fat or oil. The smoke point of tallow is 480 degrees F, making the oil smoke free.
When applied topically as a skin balm, tallow can promote skin regeneration on a cellular level allowing your skin to heal and renew more quickly. The fatty acids in tallow are similar in profile to those found in our natural skin oils, making it a great overnight balm for your skin. Tallow has been shown to keep the skin moisturized and protected, creating a barrier for better hydration. Unlike petroleum jelly, it doesn’t suffocate the skin but works naturally.
Tallow can also be used to make soaps and detergents. Throughout history, tallow has been the primary ingredient when making soaps and detergents. By mixing this fat with lye, you get a cleaning agent that does not melt away quickly, is gently on your clothes and skin. There are many tutorials online that explain the process.
Throughout history homemakers have used tallow to make candles as well. Tallow is softer than beeswax for candle making. But it burns slowly and gives good light.
All of these wonderful uses make tallow a win in our book! We are currently using our tallow for cooking and as a skin balm. I’m currently experimenting adding my infused calendula oil with tallow on my skin and am loving it! I’ll have it in the Farm Store in the coming weeks and will have directions in our Members Only area soon.
Is tallow something you’re interested in using?
