Rendering Animal Fat: Beef Tallow and Pork Lard
Turning scraps into a cooking medium is a fundamental kitchen skill that stops waste and provides a superior base for searing, frying, or roasting. Once you have a jar of clean tallow or lard, you have the most reliable tool in your pantry for potatoes or heavy meat cuts.
Cold fat renders cleaner than room-temperature fat.
Keep your trimmings chilled until the moment you are ready to process them. This makes chopping easier and keeps the rendering process controlled from the start.
- Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven
- Sharp chef's knife
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Cheesecloth
- Glass storage jars
What goes in.
- 3 lbraw beef suet or pork leaf fat, chilled
- 1/2 cupwater
Low and Slow
Keep the heat at the lowest possible setting. If the fat sizzles aggressively, you are burning it; you want a steady, barely visible ripple in the liquid.
The method.
Prep the fat
Use a sharp knife to remove any traces of meat, blood, or connective tissue from the fat. Chop the fat into uniform, half-inch cubes.
Start the melt
Place the fat and water into the cold Dutch oven. The water prevents the fat from scorching while it begins to melt.
Render
Set the burner to the lowest heat. Let it sit for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The fat will turn into a clear, golden liquid, and the solid remnants, or 'cracklings', will turn light brown and crispy.
Strain
Place a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a clean glass jar. Carefully pour the liquid fat through, discarding the solids. Avoid squeezing the cheesecloth, or you will cloud the fat with sediment.
Cool
Let the jar sit uncovered on the counter until it reaches room temperature, then cap it and store it in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator.
Other turns to take.
Herb-Infused Fat
Add a sprig of rosemary or a few garlic cloves to the pot during the final 30 minutes of rendering for a aromatic cooking fat.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the final product has a strong odor, it means you rendered it too hot or started with dirty fat.
Store the rendered fat in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life to several months.
Save the crispy cracklings to sprinkle over salads or roasted vegetables for texture.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know when it is finished?
The fat is finished when the remaining bits of tissue look like golden-brown, shriveled popcorn kernels and the liquid is perfectly translucent.
Does it need to be refrigerated?
If rendered perfectly and strained well, it can stay in the pantry for a few weeks, but the refrigerator is the safest place for long-term storage.
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