Tallow recipe?

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bluelilyboutique

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Messages
122
Reaction score
48
I purchased beef tallow when I ordered from soapers choice and haven't used it yet. I've used lard (pig tallow) in a lot of my recipes. Is beef tallow just as good? I figured I would use it since I have a 7lb bottle. What's a good recipe for beef tallow ? Everyone I seen has palm oil in it & I'm out of palm.

Also what's the difference is palm oil & criscos shortening with Palm ?

I'm still learning about soaping and am completely addicted! Everyone of y'all have helped me out and am so thankful for everything.
 
yes, you can use tallow in place of lard or palm in any recipe. All 3 have similar characteristics and make a creamy soap. I love lard but tallow is my absolute favorite.

I don't use crisco or any shortening so I can't help you there.
 
Thank you. Can you tell me why you love tallow so much? As I said I'm learning still. I've used mostly lard in all the soaps I've made. Seems in HP it's in all recipes I've found. The CP I've made called for lard or palm as well.
 
I am new at soaping as well but love tallow for the bright white, rock hard, very creamy bar it makes. I live in Colorado (US) with extremely dry winter weather and it's my favorite winter soap.
 
What is a good oil to add to tallow that is not nut based? I was thinking just a 100% tallow soap and super fatting with hemp seed oil. I am only throwing this out there as I saw a post from a few years ago in my research reading along today that 100% lard and supper fatting makes a perfect bar. Any added thoughts on that are appreciated. I am new too and just decided to not go m&p and try my hand at hp tallow soaps instead since I think they will play better with me skin.

I am sensitive to Olive oil and also Shea butter...yeah not easy finding a recipe that is recommended without those two! I see hemp oil seems to be well taken for most and it has some good added benefits. I never have used anything with hemp seed oil in it though either.

So lost and just want one base recipe that will be a great one and not to build onto just that one awesome great soap my shower needs ;)
 
100% tallow won't have much in the way of bubbles/lather. I would add betweend 15-20 Coconut oil and Rice Bran. You can use a high % of tallow. Should make a pretty awesome bar. If doing CP you would just add all your fat/oil together. You can't really pick your superfatting oil and be sure that's what's going to be there as lye will take whatever it wants. If you HP you can pick your superfatting oil. Give your ideas a try and see how you like it. You can always tweak it until you find the exact thing you are looking for.
 
What is a good oil to add to tallow that is not nut based? ....I am sensitive to Olive oil and also Shea butter...yeah not easy finding a recipe that is recommended without those two!


I like tallow with a high percentage of castor (15%). I have not experienced softness with that high a percentage of castor; I think the hardness of the tallow compensates for that.
 
I make a lard and canola oil bar, its very basic and cheap - it makes the best soap. I'm sure a little castor or coconut oil in there would be good too.
 
Thank you for the mention of using Rice Bran Oil. I was delighted to find out it is very similar in make up to that of Olive Oil and very inexpensive too! So I guess there is really nothing else better than Coconut Oil for the cleaning aspect? I can not seem to come across anything else to sub it out with. I do not have any issues with Coconut Oil though thankfully. I was curious though if anyone here has ever used Pumpkin Seed Oil with Tallow or Lard? How did it work out for you? What would that bring to the soap that it otherwise would be lacking? From what I understand it would only bring the added Omega and vitamins and nothing else the soap otherwise would lack it needed. My heads spinning reading up on all these oils and butters lol
 
I prefer tallow over lard because it's far cheaper (I use the meat-based shortening which is about 96% tallow). Also, I think it sounds better on the label than lard.
 
I prefer tallow over lard because it's far cheaper (I use the meat-based shortening which is about 96% tallow). Also, I think it sounds better on the label than lard.

I agree and think the same way about how Tallow would sound more pleasing on a label than Lard for sure.
 
Thank you for the mention of using Rice Bran Oil. I was delighted to find out it is very similar in make up to that of Olive Oil and very inexpensive too! So I guess there is really nothing else better than Coconut Oil for the cleaning aspect? I can not seem to come across anything else to sub it out with. I do not have any issues with Coconut Oil though thankfully. I was curious though if anyone here has ever used Pumpkin Seed Oil with Tallow or Lard? How did it work out for you? What would that bring to the soap that it otherwise would be lacking? From what I understand it would only bring the added Omega and vitamins and nothing else the soap otherwise would lack it needed. My heads spinning reading up on all these oils and butters lol

Pumpkin Seed Oil is very nice, but a bit pricey and hemp oil has a short shelf life. check out millersoap.com there are some great recipes available. I save the pricier oils for lotions and balms so you get the full benefits of them
 
Palm Kernal Oil flakes in the 8lb size at soaper's choice is $2.33 per pound, coconut oil in the 7lb size is $2.05/lb. Babassu oil is a wonderful sub for coconut, but way more pricey.

BTW, important to note that palm kernal oil (which is different than palm oil) has about the consistency of granite. Palm kernal oil flakes have slightly different values but they are SOOOOOO much easier to use, no chisel required. Just don't get them shipped to you in hot weather, I made that mistake once.
 
My go to is

30% tallow
30% lard
25% coconut oil
15% olive oil

This turns out great for me everytime even with accelerating FO's
 
Back
Top