Beef Tallow

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg unrendered beef fat
  
• Cheese cloth, or coffee filters

Method

Prepare the beef fat:

Cut the beef fat into rough pieces. Place in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Alternatively, you can chop the fat into small pieces by hand.

Slow Cooking:

Transfer the chopped beef fat to a preheated slow cooker set on LOW. Resist the temptation to speed things up by cooking on high, as this will affect the quality of the tallow.

Render the fat:

Cook for about 6 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure the fat is rendering evenly and nothing sticks to the bottom. Continue cooking until all the fat has fully rendered and there are no white pieces left. Once done, turn off the slow cooker and allow the fat to cool down slightly for about 1 hour.

Straining:

First, strain the fat through a fine sieve into a pan or container to remove all the leftover cooked fat pieces.

Next, double layer cheesecloth over a sieve. Pour the fat carefully into the centre of the cheesecloth, letting it filter through into a container or pan. The cheesecloth will catch any remaining solids, leaving you with a clean and smooth tallow. Once done, gather the edges of the cheesecloth to form a pouch, squeeze gently to extract the last bits of fat, and discards any solids. Alternatively use coffee filters.

If using coffee filters, place 4 filters in a sieve and pour the fat slowly through them. Replace the filters as they become clogged to ensure an even flow. This method takes longer but results in an exceptionally clean and clear tallow.

Storing

Carefully pour the filtered tallow into clean jars, bottles, or airtight containers while still warm (but not hot). Allow it to cool completely before sealing. Store in the fridge for long term use, or keep it in a cool, dark pantry for shorter periods.