Another full batch of tallow done. Haven’t bought oil in nearly two decades now. Basically 100% free

•

u/AutoModerator 7d ago

THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE. If your post contains a video or off-site blog post, Explain in detail what is in the video AS A TOP LEVEL COMMENT! The more specific, the better! Low effort posts that do not contribute to this community will be removed.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

69

u/Selash 7d ago

AH HA! Finally!

I have a question!

How does one use tallow? I know you can use it as a cooking grease and for frying and the like... but how is it different from oil? is it 1 teaspoon of tallow to one tablespoon of oil? or vis versa?

I want to get into using tallow as a seed oil alternative and I just dont know where to start!

Any guidance would be appreciated.

67

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

I use it for everything from conditioning and waterproofing leather to making soap and lip chap etc to cooking and seasoning cast iron with.

In winter I use it as basic lotion.

I’d say for cooking it’s basically one to one yes. It turns hard so once it melts it displaces more than you’d think.

29

u/Selash 7d ago

Conditioning and waterproofing leather you say... I did just by a nice leather hat and I'm scared to wear it because I dont want to get it ruined by the weather or sweat... How would I go about conditioning and waterproofing it with tallow? or is there another product you'd recommend? *plops down to learn from the knowledgable.*

56

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

You can use tallow if you’d like. Or something like seal or mink oil. Warm the hat so the leather is soft then gentle massage the tallow or oil into it until it basically stops absorbing the oil. Let it sit for 30 mins then wipe down with a cloth and done! I do the same with all my boots.

12

u/Yllom6 7d ago

Yes! Thank you for this idea! My little town doesn’t have a store that sells any sort of leather care products and I just got some super awesome used leather boots and was worried I was going to have to buy something off Amazon. But I have some tallow right in my kitchen!!

11

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

For boots - put them on a tray with a towel in the oven at 200°for like 5 mins. Take them out and see how soft they are. That’s what I do to prep them for oil.

3

u/Yllom6 7d ago

Ok, will do!

1

u/Lostinmeta4 17h ago

What would you do with a leather coat (harder leather) & Leather bags (softer leather)?

🙏

1

u/FranksFarmstead 17h ago

Most of those leathers are conditioned. So you want a leather wax not and oil. Think of those like a car. I wax my cowboy hat

3

u/Selash 7d ago

Nice! Thank you! and thanks for the tallow knowledge!

9

u/middlenamesneak 7d ago

Can also be used for sealing wood that gets beat up outdoors! I put it on some of my chicken coop structures and it makes the wood resist the elements better.

10

u/AllLeftiesHere 7d ago

Like butter. But I actually don't waste mine on cooking, it's my lotion, makeup remover, all skincare needs.

3

u/Selash 7d ago

Ah! neato. I dont use any skin products... So, Into the pan it goes! BWAHAHA!

2

u/WeirdSpeaker795 7d ago

Ok I need in on this magic 😭 does it have a scent?

5

u/TheStephinator 7d ago

Yes, but it isn’t super strong. I make tallow soap and it is really nice. Doesn’t dry your skin like other soaps can.

1

u/WeirdSpeaker795 7d ago

Would I smell like hamburger??

6

u/TheStephinator 7d ago

I wouldn’t say hamburger, but there is a scent. Everyone is different and some people have super sensitive noses. I tend to be one of those people who think most perfume is far too strong, but I can tolerate a slight beefy scent. Etsy has sellers that make skincare with tallow. You might find one that has some sample sizes to see if the scent offends you or not.

1

u/WeirdSpeaker795 7d ago

Could I hypothetically use some natural essential oils like orange peel extract to mix and “scent” the lotion? I guess it may put a sooner expiration on the batch though.

4

u/TheStephinator 7d ago

You can scent tallow, but it takes a lot of essential oils to do so. Like half a bottle leaves a faint scent when I’m making a batch of soap. I haven’t made tallow lotion, but if you are mixing other oils in it, the sort of beefy smell might be even more subtle and easier to scent.

2

u/AllLeftiesHere 5d ago

Mine doesn't smell at all. Love it.

1

u/Lostinmeta4 17h ago

Leftie 😊 I’ve met a few of us out in the wild 😂

Can you give a basic recipe or two for the face and body lotion/skin care?

I make my own with shea, etc but I’ve never use tallow.

🙏

16

u/dbenc 7d ago

awesome! how do you get it so white? and how long is a jar shelf stable?

29

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

The key (that I’ve found) is low and slow. Making sure the fat doesn’t burn when initially melting it and proper straining. Any cracking crumbs in it will tend to turn it slightly brown.

11

u/languid-lemur 7d ago

Anytime use chuck for stew I render the fat, low & slow is the only way.

5

u/WeirdSpeaker795 7d ago

Do you use cheesecloth for this? Trying to understand the process

13

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

Always yes. I bought some 500’ roll so many years ago and it doesn’t even look like I’ve touched it.

4

u/WeirdSpeaker795 7d ago

Ah ok, I get the process then! What do you do with the meat bits?

14

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

Dog treats / smash them up and give to chickens.

8

u/WeirdSpeaker795 7d ago

Right up my alley, awesome! Thanks for the new niche hobby 🙌

2

u/gnawthcam 6d ago

I’ve used coffee filters to strain bacon grease and save it when I cook. Have you ever used those before? I’m curious how they would compare to cheese cloth.

14

u/thedevilsack 7d ago

Where are you getting all the beef fat?

25

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

The cow I butchered a month ago. Then I’ll get a bear and pig this year also and do the same with that fat.

8

u/languid-lemur 7d ago

What are the differences between bear fat, lard & tallow?

I use the latter 2 for cooking & baking.

21

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

I’d say lard and tallow are basically the same. No notable difference to me. Bear fat however is way softer and more “greasy” . It works a lot better for stuff like soap and skin care etc

12

u/languid-lemur 7d ago

Not that I will be taking down any bears but that is good info.

9

u/PrepperBoi 7d ago

Damn looks like milk. Well done. Do you sell any of it?

11

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

No I don’t sell. I’ll use all this no issue.

2

u/PrepperBoi 7d ago

Damn. It looks perfect. Do you use a rendering pot?

3

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

I’m not sure what a rendering pot is but I just use a big 50L stainless pot.

2

u/PrepperBoi 7d ago

Mine never comes out as good and I think maybe I’m not straining it well enough.

A rendering pot is like a fondue or candle making pot where it’s 2 pieces. The bottom pot is full of water you boil, then the top pot holds the wax/fat to melt it.

8

u/FranksFarmstead 7d ago

Once mine is nearly done, I strain it twice, clean the pot then add it all back in and bring it back up to temp until all bubbles stop then strain again and jar.

3

u/PrepperBoi 7d ago

Thanks for the tip I’ll have to try that!

6

u/sina27 7d ago

I do this all the time with brisket trimmings. The way I render the fat is in a crock pot on low heat. It takes a while, but its low and slow and you get good product.

3

u/dayron422 6d ago

I just did this but it still smells like beef. How do you get the smell out? I rendered it 3 times.

1

u/Narrow-Word-8945 7d ago

Love it very smart ..!!

1

u/Rus-t-bolts 4d ago

Op... We have tried this a few times on our homestead and don't end up with cracklins at the end. What kind of time/temps are you using typically? And do you let the tallow cool to separate out the collagen before restraining?