How to Render Tallow for Soap and Candles

Ready to Use for Soap

Ready to Use Tallow

David Fisher

Special Note about the fat you get:
Any animal fat (cow, deer, sheep, buffalo) can be rendered into tallow, but the quality of the fat you use will determine the quality of the tallow. Many people swear by only using "kidney suet", the fat that surrounds the cow's kidneys. It's much harder and whiter and makes really wonderful tallow. It's also really hard to find anywhere but a specialty butcher shop - and you're likely to pay a pretty penny for it - whereas normal, everyday beef fat from the grocery store butcher is likely to be free. Is there a difference? Probably - to the purists at least - but I haven't noticed a big difference in the soaps I've made.

• Let's Get Started Rendering Some Tallow for Soap
• Add Water and Salt to the Pot
• Heat the Mixture
• Almost Ready
• Simmer Until the Fat is Just Melted Tallow, Meat and Gristle
• Strain the Liquid
• Let the Liquid Cool
• Separate the Tallow
• Clean the Tallow
• Ready to Use for Soap