What is Tallow?

Ah, the most asked question I receive when I tell people they need to give tallow a try!

My response is usually, it's rendered beef fat...

However, people should understand that not all tallow is created equal. It may not even come from the same species. Tallow is a very generic term for ANY rendered fat from ANY ruminant animal such as cows, sheep, deer, and bison. Lard is rendered fat from swine.

And it gets more confusing. There are also different types of fat that come from the animal. There is trim fat, which is the fat that most people think of first. The outer softer fat, attached to the meat of the animal. This fat is rendered and best suited for cooking and soap making.

Then there is Suet. Suet is the gold of fat. It can be called leaf fat, organ fat, or kidney fat. Its sealed away tucked internally in the animal. Hard at room temperature with little to no odor. This is the best type of fat for body creams and lip balms.

Suet is harder sourced. Especially when it comes from grassfed/finished livestock because they are less fatty to start with.

What's grassfed mean?

It means the cattle it came from are not fed or finished (fattened up) using ANY grains. They are fed grasses, pasture, hay, and alfalfa only.

This terminology is becoming almost as common in the tallow world as organic labeling is in the grocery store.

There are no grassfed labeling police. Unfortunately tallow makers can claim grassfed because guess what? Cows are ALL fed "grass". Sigh. Pasture Raised is another label deception tallow makers are using. Of course, cattle are raised in the pasture.

What makes Grass-fed so special?

Scientifically speaking, the difference of grass-fed and grain fed tallow is really not that significant. According to a study done by Weston A. Price Foundation, there is some difference in the total concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the balance between omega-3 and omega-6 forms of these fatty acids. The grassfed tallow had 45% less Polyunsaturated fatty acids, 66% less omega-6 linoleic acid, and 4x more omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid. However, despite these differences the Polyunsaturated fats only account for 3.45% in grain fed and 1.9% in grassfed of the total fats. To me, that seems slightly insignificant to begin with. If you're cooking with the tallow maybe there is more significance than wearing it as far as fat concentrations go? Not too many studies were found on tallow for cosmetic purposes to begin with. Weird seeing as it's the OG of skin care dating back to cave time. Hmm....I'm sure they didn't have the best rendering methods back then and all smelled like beef stew... Gross. Ha.

Anyway, the significant difference I find people choosing grassfed for is the assumed absence of GMOs, chemicals, and pesticides in the feed of the cattle. But are they sure it's free of it?

Because grassfed doesn't necessarily mean fed grass out in the native prairies of Oklahoma, it means grasses. This could include winter wheat sprayed and fertilized. It means alfalfa or Bermuda that was sprayed and fertilized. Etc.

So, do you know what doesn't have the chemicals we are all so afraid of? All-Natural Grassfed Beef.

And let's take it a step further. All-Natural grassfed beef has NO vaccines, NO antibiotics and NO medications. These producers run their cattle on ALL-natural land. They do not spray the fields for weeds or fertilize the pastures.

How do I know? My neighbors are my All-Natural Grassfed Beef fat supplier. These ranchers work twice as hard to keep their animals all-natural.

Here at our own ranch we are a cow-calf operation, breeding and selling calves once weaned. We feed grains as a supplement and hay through the tough winter months when grass is dormant.

Our neighbors, raise these cattle through all phases of life. From Birth to Butcher. And it's truly amazing.

My All-Natural Grassfed Tallow is what I consider an Ultra-Premium product. It is limited availability based on supply and demand.

I plan to also source grassfed tallow and local grain-fed tallow as well for future products. It will be labeled TRUE to what it is.

I do think ANY tallow is better than any product store-bought packed with preservatives. Tallow speaks for itself once you try it.

I will finish with this,

There are no studies that I have found that can tell you exactly what transfers from a vaccine, GMO grain, antibiotic into the fat and what that transfers onto your skin like. Can it even be absorbed if it does? We eat meat from the local grocer that was definitely fed grains, and fertilized grasses. Unless you buy all your meat from my wonderful neighbor that is...

So, with as much fear mongering and false advertising we are feeling from all these health products and campaigns, just know, we can only do the best we can do!

My recommendation is to buy local, buy natural (All-natural grassfed or not), and keep ingredients small.