First Tallow Soap

[KatieShephard]

I recently ordered tallow and was wondering how the following recipe looked to you all...I've not used tallow before and don't know what to expect.

Tallow (beef) 40%
Olive Oil 38%
CO 17
Castor 5%

Going to sf at 5% with 33% water.

I'm looking for a nice bar of regular soap that the family could use that is relatively inexpensive. I also have on hand: cocoa butter, shea, sweet almond, avocado, palm, sunflower, soybean. And I've been searching all my local grocery stores for lard, but there is none to be found! Probably going to order from Soapers Choice when I put my next order in (I'm running low on castor and prefer not to spend a billion dollars at the grocery store )

 

[Dahila]

This is what I used exactly the same numbers. The cleaning comes as 12 I think which is good not too drying. Add some sugar to lye water for the bubbles.
My tallow soap is 4 weeks, old and very hard , I am still waiting another 3 or 4 weeks before taking it upstairs ' Eight weeks cure is awesome
It is already very nice , lathering good and not drying which is the issue with my skin

 

[Susie]

You may find lard in the ethnic foods if not in the baking supplies. That is where they had it in my store for a while. Failing that, see if you have a store that caters to the Hispanic population.

 

[CaraBou]

Your numbers look good to me too, and like a great place to start from. You can always change up the recipe later with some of your other oils if you want to get more exotic. Looks like you have a lot to choose from!

 

[LunaSkye]

I love the looks of that recipe. I hope all goes well with your soaping.

P.S., if you really feel like it (and don't mind odorizing the house), you could buy some fat back and render the lard. I won't lie, it's tough to cut but it will give you the lard you want. The bonus is that the leftover pieces will taste like pork rinds and you can use them to cook up something else (the are salty though).

 

[KatieShephard]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

As far as the lard...there is a really big Hispanic population here, so I figured it would be easier to find. Plus, I'm in the south! (As a former New Yorker, anything lower than Jersey is south to me ) Jeez. I have one more store to look at...a little hispanic la tienda hole in the wall...they are my last hope! I'm not much of a meat eater, so rendering my own lard or tallow is not at the top of my list of things to do. I'd like to try it sometime, just so I have the knowledge, but it's not something I see myself doing regularly.

 

[CaraBou]

I bet you find it at the tienda. And have you checked Walmart? Those are the only places I've found lard in my town. I like buying it local so I don't feel so compelled to buy a huge quantity, lol!

 

[KatieShephard]

I bet you find it at the tienda. And have you checked Walmart? Those are the only places I've found lard in my town. I like buying it local so I don't feel so compelled to buy a huge quantity, lol!

I had the same thought CaraBou...that I could purchase a small amount locally, just to see if I liked it.

So I asked a friend of mine, who eats way more exotically than me , if she knew where I could get some lard. She said that it's in our local grocery store...but in the dairy aisle! I've been looking in the baking aisle, near the oils and Crisco...never thought to look in dairy. So I'll be making a trip to our Shoppers food, with my fingers crossed!

 

[Susie]

I think Walmart all over the US carries lard. It seems to be more in demand these days.

 

[Obsidian]

Every grocery store I've ever been in carries lard but its never with the cooking oils except at walmart. Most of the time its back by the meat cooler.

 

[IrishLass]

Thankfully, I can find lard everywhere in my area. Every grocery store has it, and of course Walmart, too. Believe it or not, I've found it in at least 3 different places at my local grocery- in the baking aisle next to the Crisco, an aisle over where they stock all the cooking oils, and down the international aisle where they stock Hispanic foods. Not to mention the huge end-cap displays of lard during November/December when tamale-making is in full swing.

I'm really glad it's all over the place here because I really, really love my lard soaps.


IrishLass

 

[KatieShephard]

Since I have a lot of medical problems, and can't do a lot of walking, I've been sending my husband out scouting for the lard and also looking at my local grocery stores online websites. My local Walmart, according to their website, doesn't carry it Of all places...come on Walmart!

I've been thinking about this so much that I had a dream last week that my husband surprised me by coming home from work with lard LOL

Lard on the brain :crazy:

 

[sassanellat]

Thankfully, I can find lard everywhere in my area. Every grocery store has it, and of course Walmart, too. Believe it or not, I've found it in at least 3 different places at my local grocery- in the baking aisle next to the Crisco, an aisle over where they stock all the cooking oils, and down the international aisle where they stock Hispanic foods. Not to mention the huge end-cap displays of lard during November/December when tamale-making is in full swing.

I'm really glad it's all over the place here because I really, really love my lard soaps.


IrishLass

OK, my stomach sat up and started to beg like a schnauzer when you mentioned tamales. (*seriously dies*). You tease. LOL!

Walmart is usually a great bet because they seem to carry a full line of Latin foods. Meijer (in the midwest) carries lard and tallow in the meat section, and lard cubes with the oils.

 

[KatieShephard]

Found my lard!

My dream came true...literally

This is what my hubs brought home today...

 

[Susie]

Yay Hubs!

This is what I get from my Walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Armour-Lard-64-oz/10449262

 

[KatieShephard]

Yay Hubs!

This is what I get from my Walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Armour-Lard-64-oz/10449262

I have a Walmart 5 minutes from my house...they don't carry it! I'd have to go 25 miles away, to the Walmart in Fairfax city to get it I'm going to try the Morrell. I was searching through old posts and it seems like most people use either Morrell or Armour.

Thinking of using both the lard and tallow in my recipe. I'd like to make a soap with one each, but want them both now!

 

[Susie]

Definitely make a batch with each separately. That way you know which one you prefer.

 

[lenarenee]

I used to live in your area. It's surprising that the Wal Mart that's closest to you doesn't have lard - makes me think that loca customers have found a better source. (fresher, non-hydrogenated lard tastes very different from Morrel's or Armour).

I don't know if it's there any more; but there used to be a privately owned meat shop off Old Lee Highway. They had lots of more "country" meat items....like headcheese, so good chance they had lard. If I remember the name I'll get back to you!