cost of tallow

[reinbeau]

Three renders might be necessary for the various fats when rendering tallow, but all I render is suet, and there's just one dry render. It isn't hard at all. My rendered tallow is pristine white on the first go.

 

[lionprincess00]

Fat trimmings are riddled with impurities, and suet is gold. I'm on the lookout for suet, and yup. Wouldn't render it this way for suet.

 

[Dorymae]

Go talk to some farmers for suet. They will tell you who butchers for them. The butcher is who you want to talk to! There are not many true butchers left out there, and it is common for the to have the shop in their home or garage, so it isn't always easy to find them. Most don't sell meat anymore, the just do butchering for individuals.

 

[lionprincess00]

Now I have been to a massage therapist less than a handful of times. She's awesome. She once told me she buys a cow and has it butchered. The meat lasts her family the whole year. I haven't had the money for her in months, but I need to make a 30 minute session and discuss her suet, her farmer, and see about getting the good stuff ;-)

 

[cmzaha]

Out of my 5lbs of fat trimming from the butcher I ended up with 4.4 lbs of fat to render after trimming. Rendering 4 times gave me 2.2 lbs of pure white tallow with 0 smell. LOL, can't say it is cost effective with an electric stove!! Aside from that I am going to pester the butcher once a week and put it in the freezer until I have at least 15 lbs to render. My large pot will hold at least 15 lbs. My problem is I really cannot talk them out of more than 5lbs at a time since they have a company that picks up all their fat for rendering, they did tell me I can go back weekly

 

[xraygrl]

I found a butcher once years ago about 30 minutes away. Contacted them about getting some beef fat and suet from them...they agreed to save some for me and I could have it for free. Went to pick it up, and it stunk to the high heavens like it had been sitting out for days and was rotten. I could not stand the smell and threw it all away. I Never went back.

I did try rendering some fat trimmings I picked up from a grocery store one time. It was a LOT of work for little return. My hat is off to those of you who render your own. Kudos! For me it's too much like work LOL! I'll buy my stuff already rendered thank you very much

 

[cmzaha]

The fat I acqired at my local Stater Bros really did not smell at all. Granted after the first render it had some odor but was really only a nice meaty smell. I am so amazed at how beautiful my chunk of fresh rendered is. After my first straining I took the gooey gloppy stuff that was in my strainer and dumped it in a cast iron fry pan to render it down more. Worked great and I actually got quite a lot of tallow from it which I strained and added it into the second render of my fat.

 

[KristaY]

If any of you have friends or family that are hunters, ask them who butchers their game. Those guys usually work full time for a grocery store (or are retired) and do private, game harvest butchery out of their homes. Since they need fresh suet or lard to blend with the grind, I bet they would be able to help you get what you want.

 

[rainycityjen]

I rendered suet from a fancy grocery store last month. The end product smelled like turned hamburger and traumatized my husband, so that he refuses to use any soap I make with the tallow. I have to admit the tallow still smells beefy, even frozen. I don't know exactly what I did wrong.

 

[Dorymae]

You need to render it over and over. Usually 3 times is enough but if it has a stronger scent (or stench) you may have to render 4,5 or even 6 times.

Eventually with a lot of water washing (rendering) you will be left with clean, white, unscented fat.

 

[HappyHomeSoapCo]

I am lucky in that I have access to ground clean white suet for pretty cheap. I usually only do the dry render once and it renders in about 30-45mins, is pure white and very little odor. However, I recently left the pot on the stove too long while putting the baby to bed and the little bits of meat that were in there stuck to the bottom of the pot and smelt awful. I let it cool, strained it with cheese cloth and now I have my pretty white tallow. But that burnt smell is still there. I am going to try adding water, salt, and baking soda but I'm wondering how much to add? I have 94.5 oz rendered fat, which is almost 6lbs and I'm going to use a large stock pot.

 

[lionprincess00]

Water up little less than half way, a third a cup to full cup of salt per a 6 lb batch, and if you like use about a quarter cup or less of baking soda, but beware because baking soda is slightly alkaline and will turn some of it into soap which you will see floating at the top if it gets too hot. I tried it without the baking soda and it just still has an odor to me after several renders. So I continue to use the soda and strain through cheesecloth and floaties. Maybe, try just 1/8 cup.

 

[HappyHomeSoapCo]

Water up little less than half way, a third a cup to full cup of salt per a 6 lb batch, and if you like use about a quarter cup or less of baking soda, but beware because baking soda is slightly alkaline and will turn some of it into soap which you will see floating at the top if it gets too hot. I tried it without the baking soda and it just still has an odor to me after several renders. So I continue to use the soda and strain through cheesecloth and floaties. Maybe, try just 1/8 cup.

Thank you so so much!

 

[Kaolin washer]

I hate it when the store treats me like I am pissing them off and running there day . do they not realize its there living?

 

[MarinaB]

I pay $5 for 50 lbs of beef fat.
But I am next door to an Amish farm.
I made up a very special formula for my tallow soap.

 

[Kaolin washer]

i payed 14$ for one pint at wall mart, but then found soapers choice. and got 7 pounds for 27.00$ and thats beef tallow so I am happy with that

 

[kagey]

I pay 77¢ per pound of fat trimmings.
I freeze them to make taking off all the meat easier.
5 lbs gives me about 1 pound of meat (I wonder if I should make dog food from this?)
and approx 2 lbs of tallow.

I've approached local BBQ places to acquire the fat they trim off their briskets -- but they were confused about me wanting raw fat and probably concerned with liabilities. I'll probably try approaching them again later if I need more than my local Winn Dixie is able to provide.