As a homesteader I’m all about using every part of the animal and eliminating waste. That’s why rendering beef tallow is one of my favorite projects. Transforming hunks of fat into nutrient-dense cooking oil and skincare ingredients is deeply satisfying.
But not all tallow is created equal. For sensitive applications like soap and lotion, you need the purest tallow possible. That’s where purification comes in.
Purifying tallow goes beyond basic rendering to remove impurities and odors, yielding a clean, white final product. In this post, I’ll walk you through my simple step-by-step process for purifying beef tallow. Grab your pots, strainers and beef fat – let’s do this!
Why Purify Tallow?
You may be wondering why you need to purify tallow if you’re just using it for cooking. Here are the main reasons to go the extra mile:
For soap and skincare – Purification removes potential skin irritants for the most gentle tallow-based products.
Longer shelf life – Ultra-purification prevents rancidity, allowing tallow to be safely stored at room temp for over a year.
No lingering odors – Purifying eliminates any “beefy” smell from the finished tallow.
Bright white color – Pure tallow has an appealing, clean white color rather than yellow.
Peace of mind – You can feel confident using only the highest quality ingredients on your family’s skin.
So while basic rendered tallow works for cooking, purification takes it to the next level for DIY beauty and soap.
Step 1 – Start With Quality Beef Fat
The better the raw material, the better your finished tallow will turn out. Here are my tips:
Choose grass-fed – Grass-fed cows produce tallow higher in vitamins, CLA and omega-3s. Worth the splurge!
Ask for leaf fat – The hard white fat around the kidneys yields the cleanest tallow.
Get suet if needed – The fat around the loins can also be used.
Keep it fresh – Use the freshest fat possible for optimal results.
Ask your butcher for suet or leaf fat from grass-fed cows, enough to fill your slow cooker or crock pot insert about halfway.
Step 2 – Render the Fat
Rendering converts solid fat into liquid oil by gently melting it down. Here’s how:
Cut the fat into 1-inch cubes for faster rendering.
Place the cubes in your slow cooker and set heat to low.
Cook for 8-12 hours, until fat is completely liquefied.
Strain through a mesh strainer to remove crunchy bits.
You’ll be left with basic rendered tallow. Now we’ll purify it even further.
Step 3 – Add Water and Simmer
For the first round of purification:
Return the strained tallow to your slow cooker insert.
Add just enough water to cover the tallow.
Add a few tablespoons of salt (1-2 Tbsp per quart of water).
Cook on low for 2-3 hours, allowing water to evaporate.
The salt will help draw out impurities as the water simmers off.
Step 4 – Strain and Separate
Once the water has evaporated, it’s time to strain and separate:
Pour the hot tallow through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof bowl.
Allow to cool in the fridge until completely solid.
Flip over the bowl and scrape off any sediment from the bottom.
Cut the clean, solid tallow away from the dirty water at the bottom.
You’ve now removed a first round of impurities! One or two more rounds will get you to ultra-purity.
Step 5 – Repeat Simmer & Strain
For the ultimate level of purification:
Repeat steps 3 and 4, simmering the clean tallow a second time with added water and salt.
For a third round, you can skip the salt and just simmer with water to get the whitest tallow possible.
Each round of simmering, straining and separating removes more impurities. 3 rounds is ideal but start with 2 if you’re short on time.
Step 6 – Store Your Pure Tallow
Once satisfied with the purity, your tallow is ready to store!
Melt the tallow again and pour into jars or tins.
Allow to cool completely before sealing containers.
Label containers with the type of tallow and date.
Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Now relax and feel good knowing you have the purest tallow around to use in your skincare and soap recipes!
Helpful Tallow Purification Tips
To recap, here are my top tips for tallow purification success:
- Simmer with salt water to draw out impurities
- Strain through cheesecloth for clearer results
- Cool completely and separate fat from water
- Repeat 2-3 times for ultimate purity
- Keep temps low to prevent burning
- Work in small batches if needed
- Have patience! Slow rendering is best
Taking the time to properly purify your tallow may take a while, but it’s a relaxing and rewarding kitchen project. The payoff is ultra-pure tallow that your family can feel good about using.
How to Render and Purify Tallow | ODORLESS, WHITE, WET METHOD | Bumblebee Apothecary
FAQ
How to get impurities out of beef tallow?
Do I need to purify tallow?
What to use to filter beef tallow?
How to make pure beef tallow?
How do you make beef tallow?
Rendering suet down to make beef tallow is really simple to do, shelf-stable and I show you how to make it in this video. Beef tallow is rendered down suet or beef fat from around the kidneys, which is cooked down from its natural state, and is allowed to harden such as in a mason jar for a variety of uses.
What is the best fat for rendering tallow?
The best fat is what is called leaf fat. This is the fat that surrounds the animal’s internal organs, mainly the kidneys. Naturally, grass-fed is best. If it is not possible to raise your own beef, make sure you source it from a reputable grass-fed farm. Does Rendering Tallow Stink? Yes, kind of.
Is beef tallow good for skin?
It contains 4% of polyunsaturated fat, 42% of monounsaturated fat and 50% of saturated fat. Tallow is great for the skin as it contains vitamins such as niacin, D, A, K and E. It possesses the conjugated linoleic acid that contains the”,”The Beef tallow is extracted through wet or dry rendering process.