Is Beef Tallow Actually Healthy?

Beef tallow is composed of 49% saturated fat and 42% monounsaturated fat. For comparison, butter is composed of 51% saturated fat and 21% monounsaturated fat.

Saturated fat is considered “unhealthy” because it may increase heart disease risk factors, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats are considered “heart-healthy” because they generally decrease cholesterol.

Tallow contains several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A and choline. Vitamin A is needed for vision, immune function, and reproductive health, while choline is necessary for fetal growth and development, metabolism, cellular function, and neurotransmitter synthesis.

However, a standard tablespoon-sized serving of tallow does not provide a good source of these or any other nutrients besides fat. 

Beef tallow is high in saturated fat, which may increase cholesterol and the development of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries). 

While some research suggests that reducing saturated fat and replacing it with unsaturated fats may lower the risk of heart disease, others have failed to find a significant link between saturated fat intake and increased heart disease risk. For example:

• One research review found no association between total or saturated fat intake and heart disease risk. A different review found that saturated fat intake was not significantly associated with heart disease risk, cardiovascular events (e.g., heart attacks), or mortality.
• Another review found that heart disease risk decreased when saturated fats were replaced with plant-based protein, unsaturated fats, or complex carbohydrates. Heart disease risk increased when saturated fats were replaced with refined carbohydrates and protein from meat.

While avoiding overconsuming foods high in saturated fat is wise, most people can enjoy beef tallow in small amounts as part of a healthy diet. Studies show that when saturated fat is consumed as part of an overall healthy dietary pattern, potential adverse cardiovascular effects can be reduced.

Beef tallow may not be the best choice for people with certain health conditions, like familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition that causes high levels of LDL cholesterol.

People with very high cholesterol levels and who are more sensitive to dietary fats should generally reduce their intake of foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol (like tallow) and replace them with fats known to reduce cholesterol, like olive oil.

Beef tallow has a number of uses in the kitchen. Here are a few ways to cook with beef tallow:

• Use beef tallow to make homemade french fries
• Spread tallow on the bottom of baking dishes to prevent cakes and breads from sticking
• Use tallow instead of butter to cook eggs and vegetables
• Brush beef tallow onto the top of pie crusts for a golden brown finish
• Use it to make hash browns and pan-fried potatoes
• Try it in place of butter or shortening when making pie crusts 

Beef tallow can be purchased premade in stores or made at home.

Here’s how to make beef tallow:

1. Source beef trimmings from a butcher, cut the fat off of the beef, and remove any meat that’s stuck to the fat
2. Cut the fat into small chunks
3. Place the fat chunks into a pot, like a Dutch oven
4. Simmer the fat on low heat for 3-4, stirring every hour or so
5. When all of the fat has been liquified and separated from the other components of the beef trimmings, remove the mixture from the heat
6. Let the tallow cool for a few minutes, then strain it into a container or bowl using a mesh strainer
7. Store your tallow in an airtight glass container

Tallow is shelf-stable and can keep for up to a year when stored in a cool, dark place, like a pantry. 

Beef tallow is beef fat that has been rendered, which results in a neutral-tasting, shelf-stable product. It has many culinary applications and can also be incorporated into skincare. 

There’s little research on the health effects of tallow, but, like any animal fat, it’s best to consume beef tallow in small amounts as it is high in calories and saturated fat.