I read the website that someone else posted about rendering. I just wanted to add a couple things I have learned while rendering beef fat that my be helpful to you.
I agree that taking the time to grind or cut the fat into very small pieces is definitely worth it. I notice that when I grind it most, if not all, of the fat has been dissolved just after the water reaches a hard boil. If you use a food processor try to grind the fat cold or frozen. The warmer it is the more gloppy it gets and it doesn't cut as cleanly. (it also smells less when it's frozen)
Find a good filtration system. If you look in the picture I attached I use a glass pitcher and a brass coffee filter both which I bought at Wal-Mart. The filter fits exactly into the neck of the glass container so I don't have to fumble with holding the filter while pouring hot water and liquid fat. While grinding the fat into tiny pieces makes the dissolving faster, you create very small pieces of meat/cartilage/skin which you don't want in your soap. I found that cheesecloth doesn't filter out enough impurities. I take a new/unused and clean piece of pantyhose and cut the end off. I stretch the pantyhose around the filter and the result is very clear fat.
I don't add salt to the water, not because I think it's a bad idea, I don't know if would result in salt in my tallow. I don't like unknowns in my soap. I just pile the chopped/ground fat in the pot and cover with water.
I don't spend hardly any time trimming the fat. I just chop/grind it and let it rip. I have had very good results this way. I end up with more beef solids but I just pour the water once it's done through a wire mesh strainer. I do wonder if less beef meat would decrease the beef smell in the finished tallow.
You will have some clear chunks with the cooked beef that sure look like chunks of fat, they're not. I wasted an entire afternoon insistent that I could squeeze out every last drop of fat and didn't realize it was skin or something else.
Once you refrigerate your water/fat mixture and have your solid tallow it should be hard. If it is soft or melts easily, you can melt it down again with equal parts water and refrigerate again. I have noticed this yields a harder disc. Once you get your tallow off the surface of the water underneath you may see a jelly substance stuck to the bottom of the tallow. Just rinse this off and pat it dry with a paper towel.
If you have a bowl with tapered sides you might be able to push on one side of the tallow disc and pop out the whole thing in one chunk. (kind of cool) If not just use a knife and cut it in half then grab the chunks out.
Have your paper towels and Clorox wipes handy because it makes a mess!
Good luck!
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