tallow/lard mix, crazy slow trace?

[Obsidian]

I tried @cmzaha recipe with 45% tallow, 25% lard and man, it was crazy slow to trace. I was doing a simple two color in the pot swirl using a discoloring FO and after 10 minutes or so, I gave up blending and just swirled best I could. It just started to reach a light trace as I finished pouring.

Well over a hour passed and it was still soft enough I could have easily scooped it out of the mold and plopped it into another had I wished. I went ahead and popped it in the over to CPOP.

Does anyone else use a blend of these fats? How have you found trace? My high lard has nothing on this when it comes to being slow.

and because I want to show it off, the new mold DD got for me. I've wanted it forever, it will be my new salt bar mold but for now, I used it for the tallow soap.

 

[cmzaha]

I am not sure why you ended up with such a slow trace. It actually can be an interesting combination in the fact it will tend to almost false trace then thin out. I pour at just emulsion and unmold in 8-12 hrs. Twelve hrs is the longest I can let it sit in the mold and still cut, whether I use vinegar or not. It is my main recipe that I use only varying the soft oils between, avocado, canola ho, and sunflower ho.

I am really sorry if it did not work for you and you wasted ingredients. It never ceases to amaze me how one recipe can work for one person and not another

 

[Obsidian]

Oh no, it worked fine in the end. It was just so odd to see it take so long to set. I could pop it out of the mold now if I wanted but its still a bit soft.
I wonder if it due to the type of tallow? I rendered my own and for some reason, it seems softer then usual.

I've had other non typical soap batches too. My salt bars always take a long time to trace. In fact, any high coconut recipe is slow moving.
On the other hand, castile traces in just a minute or two. Grade of OO has no bearing on speed.

 

[Primrose]

I use 25% lard and 25% tallow in my main recipe. Yes it's slow to trace though I usually pour at emulsion anyway so it doesn't bother me.

 

[smengot0]

No coconut oil or PKO? How was the lather? I have no tallow, can I substitute with canola oil? Thanks

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, there is coconut in the recipe along with safflower and castor. If you don't have tallow, just use more lard.
Too much canola can cause DOS, keep it at 15% or less.

 

[Anika]

It's funny that I should find this post right now. I just made my first soap with tallow a week ago (65% tallow. I don't have the other oil % on hand). Typically, my soap sets up within 10 mins and I wanted to try to do a frosting, so I mixed it by hand for the first time. My idea was I'll get maybe a 20 minute working time.

OH BOY WAS I WRONG.

I checked every 10 minutes for over an hour and it was still liquid. I was certain that I messed up somewhere, but no mistake was found. Eventually I gave up on my plan and just made a swirled soap and went to bed.

The soap was still very soft, so I didn't cut it for 3 days.

But, let me tell you, it produced the most beautiful, elegant swirl I have ever made, and the bars are a beautiful texture. The soap I washed off my hands from touching the bars was the least drying I've ever used. So maybe it's worth it.

Next time I'll stick blend and see how that goes. It might be a tallow thing.