Real animal fats like tallow were once the real MVP (MVF?) of the kitchen, bathroom, workshop, and beyond. Then came the age of seed oils and synthetic everything, and this golden fat was unfairly maligned and exiled. But now, thanks to a large campaign by Fatworks, Paleo and Keto influencers, and a new anti-seed oil movement, Tallow is back.
Before there was Crisco, canola, or chemical-laced lotions, there was tallow — the rendered fat of cattle (and sometimes sheep), prized for its purity, performance, and downright practicality.
Real animal fats like tallow were once the real MVP (MVF?) of the kitchen, bathroom, workshop, and beyond. Then came the age of seed oils and synthetic everything, and this golden fat was unfairly maligned and exiled. But now, thanks to a large campaign by Fatworks, Paleo and Keto influencers, and a new anti-seed oil movement, Tallow is back.
Tallow is what you get when you gently render (aka heat and filter) the fat from a cow. While technically any trim fat can do, to make a great beef tallow, you should look for tallow from suet, the prized fat surrounding the kidneys. The result? A clean, shelf-stable cooking fat. The difference between tallow and lard is that tallow is typically firmer at room temperature due to its higher stearic acid content, whereas lard (a praiseworthy fat in its own right) is softer and contains more monounsaturated fats.
For most of human history, tallow wasn’t trendy; it was a staple:
- Frying fat with flavor and resilience — the original deep fryer fuel
- Candlelight in a jar — long before soy wax tried to steal the glow
- Soap with substance — sudsy, skin-friendly, and naturally moisturizing
- Leather conditioner — because saddles, boots, and butcher blocks deserve love too
Tallow didn’t need marketing. It just worked.
Tallow is simply too precious to be confined to nostalgic chefs and DIY'ers. So what’s so great about the forgotten staple of whole-food living?
- Nutrient-Dense: Rich in stearic acid and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) a naturally occurring fat with anti-inflammatory cred and metabolic benefits.
- Biocompatible: Its fatty acid profile closely mirrors our own skin’s, no surprise your ancestors slathered it on their faces.
- Medium High Smoke Point: Roughly 350-400°F, ideal for searing, sautéing, and actually cooking without smoking out your kitchen.
- Zero Waste: Turning suet into tallow is a way to honor the whole animal, not just the pricey cuts. (Fun Fat Fact 1: When we emailed all the small family Grass Fed Farmers back in 2010, fat was so maligned that they were having to pay bio-diesel companies to pick it up from them. Thankfully, people have caught on and farmers can sell the fat for what it's worth.)
- Flavorful: Tallow delivers a meaty, savory richness that seed oils can’t fake. It brings out the best in meats and adds depth to vegetables, eggs, and even baked goods. Real fat means real flavor.
Tallow’s not just back, like most things modern, it’s multitasking. From cast iron skillets to daily skincare, what was once a pioneer staple is proving itself indispensable in modern life. Let us count the ways:
- Culinary: Tallow-fried potatoes. Beef-fat pie crusts. Steak finished in its own gold. Roast veggies, anything fried, and great for grilling.
- Skincare: Tallow is the base of some of the cleanest, richest balms and creams you can find. Claims abound that it matches human sebum more closely than plant oils or butters ever could. No petrochemicals needed, unless you're into that sort of thing.
- Homesteading & DIY: From soap-making to candle-crafting, lantern fuel to leather balm, tallow was the original frontier fat — greasing wheels, styling wigs, lubricating musket balls and barrels, sealing pipes and boats, conditioning leather, lighting rooms, moisturizing pioneers and even helping in the making of more pioneers. (If you get it, you get it.)
Fun Fat Fact 2: George Washington’s troops were issued rations of flour and rendered tallow, not for eating, but for styling their hair. Washington himself used a perfumed tallow pomade as part of his grooming routine. Because even in ye olden days, real fat was the height of fashion.
Let’s put that to bed: not all saturated fats are created equal. Grass-fed tallow contains the right kind — unprocessed, nutrient-rich, and low in inflammatory omega-6s (unlike industrial seed oils). Your body knows what to do with real fat. It’s the fake stuff that causes confusion (and inflammation.)
Grass-Fed Tallow coming back isn’t a trend, it’s a rebirth. (Tallow-lujah!) As we’ve been shouting and educating people about the benefits of tallow for over 15 years now, we couldn't be more thrilled. It’s a return to what’s real. It’s cooking like your ancestors. It’s skincare that actually soaks in. It’s the rebel fat in a world gone slick with seed sludge.
So whether you’re frying, moisturizing, or crafting by candlelight, remember: real fat works.
Fatworks is a family-owned company that has been crafting the finest premium traditional Organic and Pasture-Raised fats (Tallow, Lard, Poultry Fats, and Ghee) since 2011. We have been tireless crusaders against industrialized seed oils and fat-phobia everywhere. Our products are absolutely and unapologetically premium fat sourced from the best farmers in the U.S.A.
