From Suet to Gold: How to Render Beef Tallow & Use It in Everyday Life

At Big Horn Mountain Farms, we believe in using the whole animal — nose to tail. One of the most versatile (and overlooked) byproducts of our premium beef is suet, the firm white fat that surrounds the kidneys. When rendered, it transforms into tallow, a clean, long-lasting fat with a deep ranch history.

Whether you’re cooking, crafting, or caring for your skin, tallow is a timeless ingredient that deserves a place in every kitchen and homestead.

How to Render Beef Suet into Tallow

Ingredients

• 2–3lbs beef suet (cleaned and chopped into 1" pieces)

• Water (optional – a few tablespoons can prevent scorching)

Instructions

1. Prep the fat: Trim away any meat bits or membranes. The cleaner the suet, the purer the tallow.

2. Render slowly:

   • Place suet in a heavy pot, slow cooker, or Dutch oven on low heat.

   • Stir occasionally as the fat melts and impurities separate.

3. Strain: Pour through cheesecloth into glass jars or a heat-safe bowl.

4. Cool & store: Once solid, tallow will be creamy white and shelf-stable for months.

1. Tallow-Fried Potatoes

• 3 russet potatoes, diced

• 2 tbsp beef tallow

• Salt, pepper, and rosemary to taste

Instructions: Heat tallow in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook until golden and crisp. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary for the perfect homestead side dish.

Why it works: Tallow’s high smoke point makes it ideal for frying — it creates crisp edges and rich flavor without burning.

2. Tallow Candles

Ingredients:

• 1 cup melted beef tallow

• 1 tbsp beeswax (optional for firmness)

• Cotton wicks

• Glass or tin jars

Instructions:

1. Melt tallow and beeswax together.

2. Secure wick in the center of your jar.

3. Pour melted mix slowly and let set overnight.

Optional: Add essential oils like cedarwood or vanilla for a warm ranch scent.

3. Tallow Balm (for Skin & Hands)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup rendered tallow

• 2 tbsp olive oil or jojoba oil

• 5 drops lemongrass (natural mosquito repellant), lavender, or chamomile essential oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Melt tallow and mix with oil.

2. Remove from heat and stir in essential oil.

3. Pour into a tin and cool.

Use for: dry hands, wind-chapped cheeks, cracked heels, or winter lips. Tallow closely matches human skin’s natural oils, making it deeply moisturizing and non-greasy.

4 Homestead Bird Suet Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup melted tallow

• 1 cup birdseed mix

• ¼ cup oats

• ¼ cup peanut butter

Instructions: Mix all ingredients, pour into silicone molds, and chill until firm. Hang outside for a steady winter snack for wild birds.

5. Old-Fashioned Tallow Soap

Ingredients (cold process):

• 16 oz beef tallow

• 6 oz coconut oil

• 2 oz olive oil

• 4.4 oz lye (sodium hydroxide)

• 10 oz distilled water

Instructions:

1. Melt the fats together.

2. Slowly add lye to water (never the reverse) and let both mixtures cool to ~100°F.

3. Combine and blend until thick like pudding (called “trace”).

4. Pour into molds, cover, and let cure for 4–6 weeks.

Safety Note: Always wear gloves, goggles, and long sleeves when handling lye. It’s highly caustic before it reacts with fat. Work in a well-ventilated area and avoid aluminum equipment.

Is Lye Natural?

The short answer is yes — and no.

All soap requires lye (an alkali) to trigger saponification — the chemical reaction that turns fats (like tallow) into soap and glycerin. Even if it’s not listed on the label, it was used in the process and is no longer present in the finished bar.

Historically:

Pioneers made lye by leaching water through hardwood ashes — a natural, homemade form of potassium hydroxide (KOH). This mixture was boiled with tallow to create a soft, brownish soap that cleaned well but varied in texture and strength.

Today:

We use purified, food-grade sodium hydroxide (NaOH) derived from salt and water. While it’s refined, it’s chemically identical to the old wood-ash version — just more consistent and safer to measure. Once it reacts with tallow, there’s no lye left in the soap, only gentle, old-fashioned cleanliness.

If you’d like to go “all natural” and skip refined lye altogether, you can try the traditional wood-ash method, though it’s far less precise and produces a softer soap.

Method	Lye Source	Result	“Natural” Rating
Wood-ash leach	Homemade KOH	Soft, rustic soap	100% natural, low control
Food-grade NaOH	Refined from salt	Firm, consistent soap	95% natural, safe and reliable

Storage & Tips

• Store rendered tallow in airtight glass jars at room temperature or in the fridge.

• Avoid water contamination to keep it shelf-stable.

• Properly stored, it can last up to a year or more.

Rancher’s Note:

Rendering suet into tallow is an old tradition worth keeping alive — it’s one more way we honor every part of the animal we raise with care. If you’d like to try your own suet rendering, reach out to place a special order. Don't forget to stop by the Honor Store to pick up locally raised beef and pork.