Rendering Tallow

[BankerJohn]

WOOHOO! Yesterday, I was given beef fat from a butcher in Newberry, FL. A lot of it too! last evening, I cut it into cubes and placed in the crockpot on high. Gave it a good stir this morning before leaving for the day. Got home around 5 this afternoon to see that there is QUITE a bit of rendered fat.

I gently spooned it out of the crockpot and ran it through a strainer into mason jars. So far, I have 2 quart mason jars filled and the fat is not fully rendered. I'm guessing I will get another 2-3 jars for a total of 4-5 jars.

Anyone have a soap recipe that includes tallow that they would like to share?

 

[lsg]

I use SoapCalc to make up my recipes.

 

[BankerJohn]

udate. I ended up getting a little over 4 quart mason jars filled with rendeed beef fat, AKA beef tallow.

I was hoping to actually get a recipe out of this post... something more than using soap calc.

 

[Sammi_552]

Great score for you! I just bought some beef tallow to try it out. I'll use other oils with it and create my recipe using soapcalc. Sorry I can't point you in a better direction with your recipe.

 

[Kansas Farm Girl]

A tallow recipe I have used and likes was 52% tallow, 22% soybean, 16% coconut and 10% castor. I love tallow. When I can't get it then lard is my next go-to oil. Good luck I hope you enjoy your tallow soaps as much as I do.

 

[AngelMomma]

I rendered tallow once. The soap I made is great. Maybe think about storing your tallow in the freezer though. I kept mine in sterile mason jars in the back of the fridge, so I could soap with it whenever I wanted to. One day I went to get a jar out to soap with and it was going bad, all of it. I was so bummed. If I ever do it again(I would be surprised because the thought still makes my stomach turn because of the smell), I would pour it into freezer safe containers and freeze it.

 

[judymoody]

I agree about freezing your unused tallow.

I'd try 40% tallow, 30% olive, 20% coconut and 10% palm. I made soap with elk tallow using those % and it came out very nicely.

 

[sistrum]

After I render my tallow I put it in a pot with about one third more water than tallow and add about a quarter cup salt and bring to boil. Then let it cool and pour off the water and scrape off the crumbley stuff on the bottom of the disk of tallow. This second cleaning gives you a purer tallow and it keeps better. If its going to be a while before you use it the freezer is a good place to store it.
As far as a recipe, just use the tallow in place of palm in any of your regular formulas.

 

[marghewitt]

I agree with sistrum. I used to use only tallow to make my soap. I would add it to a large pot of salted water to "Clean" it. after boiling it for awhile just let it sit till the tallow floats and solidifies. Remove and cut into smaller pieces and put in freezer bags. It lasts for a few years in the freezer. It makes a very hard white bar all by itself!

 

[Yooper]

I LOVE tallow soaps! I've rendered my own beef tallow, and loved the soap so much that I started rendering tallow from deer that I've harvested.

I render the tallow, then pour it into ice cube trays to harden and stick them in the freezer. After a couple of hours, I then pop them out of the trays and freeze them in ziploc bags. It makes it so much easier to measure out the tallow and not have to soften a whole container.

Anyway, here are some of my best tallow recipes:

52% beef tallow
24% olive oil (pomace quality)
24% coconut oil
Superfat 8%
For this one, I melted a little square of baker's chocolate and added it to a bit of the soap, added some peppermint essential oil (just a little tiny bit, as people can be sensitive to it) and swirled it in the pan. It was wonderful!


50% Deer tallow
22% Coconut oil
22% Olive oil (pomace quality)
6% castor oil
8% superfat
I homebrew beer, so I used my oatmeal stout for all of the liquid. This was a 30 ounce of oils recipe, and I stirred in two scoops of goat's milk powder at trace into a little of the soap and then stirred it all together. This is really a nice soap, as well!

10% shea butter
20% coconut oil
12% beef tallow
50% olive oil (pomace)
8% castor oil
used goat's milk (frozen) for the liquid
8% superfat
(This was a nice hard bar with great lather and very mild)

40% Beef tallow
8% castor oil
35% Olive oil
17% coconut oil
Superfat 8%

And this one turned out awesome!:
100% Beef Tallow
Homemade beer for the water, boiled to condense and de-alcohol and then chilled
8% superfat
I used orange EO, and it seemed to never want to trace. But it did, and I gelled it. I made this on 8/27/12, and it is a wonderful soap with creamy lather and a super rich feel to it. This is actually my favorite of all of my tallow recipes!

 

[songwind]

And this one turned out awesome!:
100% Beef Tallow
Homemade beer for the water, boiled to condense and de-alcohol and then chilled
8% superfat
I used orange EO, and it seemed to never want to trace. But it did, and I gelled it. I made this on 8/27/12, and it is a wonderful soap with creamy lather and a super rich feel to it. This is actually my favorite of all of my tallow recipes!

Sounds like it might make a decent shaving soap.

 

[Diana B]

Definately freeze your tallow....I rendered huge batch years ago and popped it in the freezer, where its been until now, seems the longer you freeze, the less of a smell you get ! Am rendering some lard later this week ! My favourite recipe is 500g tallow and 500g oils, super easy ! Tallow will come up to trace fast by itself, makes a lovely white soap which lasts and lasts !

 

[Lindy]

My understanding for rendering tallow is that you need to render it at least 3 times to get it fully purified and deodorized. Using baking soda and salt in the water portion of your pot really does do a great job. I've never had a meaty smell and I've found that the best way to avoid that is to melt the tallow on a fairly low temp.

I do admit I've only rendered a couple of times and prefer to simply buy it in 40 lb blocks now.... yeah I do use it a lot....

 

[mel z]

Want to thank everyone for the tallow tips and recipes. I've found I love tallow for soap, very creamy, feels conditioning to me, the color and hardness.

Have a question. Anyone know about how big the 50lb cube is from Soaper's Choice? I ask as I have an apartment fridge, small, and small freezer portion on top. I could use it in a couple of weeks or more, but it needs to be able to fit in the fridge. Also, will it melt if I order it in a few weeks when it will be about 90 degrees here already, ugh, and I am at work when delivered? Don't want a puddle of oil on the porch and angry neighbors/landlord. Thanks in advance!

 

[Yooper]

Want to thank everyone for the tallow tips and recipes. I've found I love tallow for soap, very creamy, feels conditioning to me, the color and hardness.

Have a question. Anyone know about how big the 50lb cube is from Soaper's Choice? I ask as I have an apartment fridge, small, and small freezer portion on top. I could use it in a couple of weeks or more, but it needs to be able to fit in the fridge. Also, will it melt if I order it in a few weeks when it will be about 90 degrees here already, ugh, and I am at work when delivered? Don't want a puddle of oil on the porch and angry neighbors/landlord. Thanks in advance!

I can't imagine how big a 50# cube of tallow is- it'd be big! If you can picture a 50# can of crisco, that's how big it would be.

It won't melt at room temperature, that I can promise, though! Even at 90 degrees, it won't melt. I think the melting point for tallow begins at about 100 degrees, but I wouldn't swear to that!

 

[mel z]

Thanks Yooper.

I can't imagine a 50# can of anything, that's why I asked. I was hoping it would fit on the bottom shelf of the fridge. If not, I can just buy the smaller size in a few multiples.

I really didn't want lard leaking on the porch. No way I would like that or anyone else, only the city rodents would like it, and that is just not okay. So, good on that point.

 

[sistrum]

If you are use to using home rendered tallow from kidney fat I would first order a small amount of commercially rendered tallow to see if you like it as much. Yes you don't have the work but the tallow is not exactly the same, it's made from all the body fats, bone, skin, guts ect. Some people can't tell the difference but I can tell between kidney fat and beef trimmings so I imagine commercial tallow would be the same. But the trade off in time may be worth the lower quality. If you try it let us know what you think.

 

[new12soap]

I have never ordered the 50# cubes, I want to say they are around 12x12x12 or a bit larger, but I cannot swear to it. I would agree that you may want to try a smaller size first to make sure you are happy with it!

 

[mel z]

Thank you sistrum, that is info I did not know.

Thank you new12soap, I think you are right. I should try a smaller bottle first to see how it goes, or I could waste a whole lot of money if it is not what I expected. Thanks for approximate size too!

 

[Clemmey]

I would say getting a small amount of fat to render is a good way to go. Then you can do the process and see what you think.