When I was growing up, my mom, grandmother and aunt rendered the fat from pork bacon and poured it into a coffee can on the stove. They used it to flavor green beans, fry chicken and grease the cast iron skillet before pouring in the batter for cornbread.
Now lard’s bougie cousin is making a comeback, and we wanted to explore why.
Beef tallow, also known as beef drippings, is rendered fat from cattle; it turns a solid white at room temperature. Tallow has a harder texture than lard, a rendering from pigs, and a richer flavor. Its high smoke point also makes it ideal for frying.
Though people have been using tallow for centuries to fry their foods and to make candles and soap, the Industrial Revolution enabled the widespread use of vegetable oil. It started to replace beef tallow in the 20th century over health concerns about people consuming foods high in saturated fats.
Now, more U.S. and Hampton Roads restaurants are rediscovering beef tallow. Also, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new secretary of health and human services, has called for fast-food restaurants to return to beef tallow because, he said, seed oils — canola, soybean and corn oil — are “unknowingly poisoning” Americans. Nutrition scientists say claims such as these are not borne out by research.
In January, Hot Tuna, and Shorebreak Pizza & Taphouse, both based in Virginia Beach, announced on social media that they were “proudly” cooking with beef tallow. Customers can order items such as the Blue Burger, Brussels sprouts and calamari prepared with it. Hot Tuna also grills with avocado oil. Hot Tuna started using canola oil when it opened in 1992.
Owner Brett Kassir, who also owns two Shorebreak Pizza & Taphouse locations, made the decision after talking with doctors and conducting online research after one of his family members was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and another had a heart attack.
“Beef tallow reduces inflammation, doesn’t leave a lingering aftertaste and it makes food taste better,” he said in a phone interview. He said his customers are happy.
Raven Carry-Out Cafe offers tallow fries, a carryover item from the now closed Raven in Virginia Beach, according to staff.
The national chain Steak ‘n Shake said in January that all locations would be using 100% all-natural beef tallow by the end of February. Old Dominion University has the only known site left in our area.
Other chain restaurants already use beef tallow for frying, including Popeyes. Buffalo Wild Wings mentions in its Allergen and Preparation Guide that it uses beef shortening to fry wings, fries, mozzarella sticks and other items. Outback Steakhouse has cooked its Bloomin’ Onion in beef tallow since 1988, according to the Herald-Tribune of Sarasota, Florida.
McDonald’s initially made its fries with beef tallow but switched in the 1990s to vegetable oil after businessman Phil Sokolof spent millions to get the chain to stop. He had a heart attack at 43 and founded the National Heart Savers Association to campaign against dietary cholesterol and fat.
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Why is beef tallow trending?
Anne Kristine Etherton, a registered dietitian nutritionist who founded and owns Nuleeu Nutrition and Wellness in Chesapeake, thinks there could be many reasons beef tallow is becoming popular. She cites the anti-seed sentiment, social media and a desire to cook with a fat that has a high smoke point. But she hasn’t had any client inquiries about tallow.
“Beef tallow has 50% saturated fat,” she said.
Grass-fed beef tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, and limited studies have shown that its conjugated linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fat found in animal fats, has anti-inflammatory properties, she said.
In her practice, she looks at a client’s diet as a whole and asks how much fat is contributing to it.
She suggests trying a variety of fat sources appropriate for cooking and using them wisely. Her belief: All foods can fit with moderation, balance and mindfulness.
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Where to get it?
Supermarkets sell beef tallow, but it’s not always obvious on store shelves. A quick internet search shows that beef tallow is available locally at The Fresh Market, Walmart and Target. Surprisingly, an entry came up for Ace Hardware too.
Dave’s BBQ in Virginia Beach posted on social media that it sells pure beef tallow for $10 a pint from its brisket trimmings.
The barbecue joint called the drippings “liquid gold.” My family felt the same way about bacon grease.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com
