Tallow
Collecting tallow with an air fryer (easiest method). Tallow is a staple. It’s like butter but it’s made from beef fat. Lamb fat can also be used. You can collect it in different ways. Always save it. Never throw away good melted fat. Warning: I haven’t found a tallow that’s pre-made that isn’t rancid. If you buy it from the grocery store and it tastes awful, toss it. It’s rancid. It should basically taste like butter.
Ingredients
- Fat trimmings
- 8qt pot or air fryer
- 2-3 tbsp of tallow
- Jars
- Fine strainer
- Stovetop or burner
Instructions
- Buy fat trimmings (most easily bought through a butcher. Super cheap - they basically throw fat away).
- Cut them all up in 0.5 inch pieces and throw in the air fryer at 300 degrees.
- Cook for 8 minutes and stir. If they start smoking, pour the liquid fat out that's melted.
- When there's liquid in the bottom (around 8 minutes in), pour the liquid into a bowl, and continue cooking the fat chunks.
- Repeat. Just air fry the fat chunks and keep pouring fat out so it doesn't smoke too much until there's hardly any fat left.
- The end pieces of fat will shrink and turn brown/grey/golden.
- You can salt and air fry these and eat them like pork cracklings. They're basically just beef cracklings. They might be hard on your digestive system though, so just experiment. Don't overdo it, it's pure fat. They're nice as a side dish for steak though!
- Grab a jar and a strainer. Then pour the liquid tallow into the jar through the strainer.
- You should then be able to keep the tallow in your fridge for 6 months.
- Warning: I have only found one brand of tallow that's pre-made that isn't rancid. If you buy it from the grocery store and it tastes awful, toss it. It's rancid. Most of them are rancid. It should basically taste like butter, or have no flavor. Sulu is the only brand that I'll buy now.
