Rendering beef fat?

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boomchakabowwow

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Looks straight forward.

Buy beef fat and melt it. That it?

I’ll grab a few giant coffee filters to strain.

Will any beef fat work? Or am I targeting suet? My butcher is ready for me. He has stuff frozen. I didn’t ask about what fat he has.
 
I personally keep all my beef trimmings and save them up for rendering. Every couple of weeks I throw a pan in the oven first thing in the morning around 300 degrees (Fahrenheit) and let it roll for a few hours.
I don't know what he is saving for you but it's probably similar to what I do Any silver skin, end cuts, fat trimmings.
I use the fat to cook fingerlings and carrots for my short ribs or roast mushrooms for steaks Even sear meat in it too
 
What're you going to do with the beef fat? Last year I went to a burger joint in Santa Monica called Plan Check, great fries cooked in beef tallow! I remember when I was younger, when McDonald's cooked their glorious fries in beef fat—those were the days.

boomchakabowwow said:
Looks straight forward.

Buy beef fat and melt it. That it?

I’ll grab a few giant coffee filters to strain.

Will any beef fat work? Or am I targeting suet? My butcher is ready for me. He has stuff frozen. I didn’t ask about what fat he has.
Click to expand...
 
The few times I've done it, it's just been a few hours in the low oven like KCMande above.

Two other thoughts: I don't think a paper coffee filter will work for straining, unless it's a lot looser weave than the ones I have. For straining bacon fat and chicken fat (schmaltz), I use a metal mesh sieve with a few layers of cheesecloth on top. The nice thing about cheesecloth is that you can decide with the layering how far to go, in straining out every little thing vs. the time it takes.

Also, careful about your source. I try to use organic when rendering fat, because that's were the nastier stuff tends to concentrate. Not a big deal if you're only doing this on rare occasions.
 
We render down about 400 pounds a week of brisket fat/trim to use for lard in one of our fryolators to cook our potato wedges in. You’ll get a better yield if you or your butcher fine grind it first. Low oven works fine or if you throw it in a heavy bottomed pan on the stove and stir every once in awhile. Once the granules are dark grey and ‘bouncy’ you’ve pulled most everything you’ll want out of it. Run it through a very fine mesh (the left over crumbly meaty bits are a great treat sprinkled on top of a the dinner of your favorite furry friend btw), then let it sit overnight at room temp, in a clear tall vessel if possible. This will help separate the solids and gelatin, and the clear container will give a better idea of what’s what. Not essential but helpful. Scoop the fat off the gelatin layer and then simmer it on the stove for a bit until it shows little to no surface movement. This removes any residual moisture and increases both the shelf life and overall usability. Don’t forget to save that gelatin for soups, stocks, sauces, and alllll kinds of other fun stuff
 
Sooooo, @panda... You get custom avatar tag line. I see... But I’m out here for six years in knife trenches and now am out in cold with rest of these nooblings with not as much as a tag line? Feh! I demand respect! The internet respects!



(You are pretty OG though so at least they got that part right...)
 
Thanks brain!

I’m done. I ended up with about two pints. Next time I pan fry a fish.... wow.

I took all the gray bouncy fat bits at the end and dumped them from the cheesecloth into my carbon skillet. I turned the heat up and in about 15 mins, my backyard smelled like bacon and a steak had a love child. I’m gonna sprinkle the cracklings over my dogs dinner.

My carbon pan loved the fantastic dose of seasoning. It’s almost jet black now, and it’s slick as snot. I simply wiped it clean.
 
i like using a pressure cooker with some water, renders it fast and evenly and will give you a very clean fat without any flavors from roasting. strain, chill and let seperate.
 
Here’s today’s batch...

IMG_1385.jpg


We use the leftover gelatin in the stock that we make for our house chili. Tastes like a burger!
 
I would like to ask the question ..
"what do you put beef fat mayo on?"
But I have a feeling the answer is going to be
"what don't you put beef fat mayo on"
 
panda said:
but the roasting flavor is wonderful!! 'clean fat' might as well just use butter.
Click to expand...

Roasting also has its own applications, I prefer frying in a cleaner tasting fat. All preference tho
 
KCMande said:
I would like to ask the question ..
"what do you put beef fat mayo on?"
But I have a feeling the answer is going to be
"what don't you put beef fat mayo on"
Click to expand...

Hit that one right on the nose sir. I was just gonna whip up a batch of regular mayo to dip our beef fat fries in for a little snack when i noticed the jello and thought to myself: “why the hell haven’t I done this before...?!?”

Surprisingly enough- beef fat fried potato wedges dipped in beefy aioli is ****ing awesome.
 
Last edited:
panda said:
I can't wait to try this
Click to expand...
Dude- it’s spiritual in nature. I just started going back and forth with another chef at one of our sister restaurants about applications. The texture alone is rad. I somehow never thought to apply the fluid gel concept to mayos. I’m sure somebody smarter than me has- but damn! It’s still super rich but less heavy. Any collagen/gelatin rich extraction is viable. So many possibilities...
 
make herb beef fat mayo to put on top of smoked short ribs! beef fat coleslaw dressing, steak cubes fried in beef fat for shepherds pie, beef fat dust to sprinkle on top of beef fat fries, beef cheek confit (in the beef fat), omg possibilities are endless!!
 
Or with Horseradish cream w/ beef fat mayo base for French dip.
Or secret sauce aka house made thousand island dressing w beef fat mayo base. Fitting for a burger.
 
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