Beef tallow fries recipe (2024)

Golden, crisp, and delicious… this beef tallow fries recipe makes the best French fries ever!

Beef tallow fries recipe (1)

Beef tallow fries recipe

What makes these fries so amazing? Beef tallow! That’s right. Tallow from 100% grass fed and grass finished beef is one of my most favorite things ever. I love it because it is so versatile, it has amazing health benefits, and makes food taste absolutely wonderful.

I have several other posts on my blog where I talk about things like the benefits of beef tallow, what is tallow, and how to render tallow. There are also a lot more blog posts, if you’re interested in using tallow to make things like soap, balm, and salves.

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Beef tallow fries recipe (2)

Fast food gone wrong

But back to the beef tallow fries! Here is a bit of trivia: Back in the day, McDonald’s used to fry their French fries in beef tallow. Eventually, animal rights activists pressured them to switch to “vegetable” oils (which are not vegetable oils at all, but are inflammatory, toxic, industrial seed oils). They flavor the “vegetable” oil with MSG. What a shame!

Making French fries with grass fed beef tallow is such a better idea. You get all of the wonderful health benefits of grass fed beef. And the flavor is naturally phenomenal! No need for MSG or any other artificial flavorings. And no health destroying, inflammatory, industrial seed oils. Just pure, beef tallow fries deliciousness. And no guilt!

So skip the low quality restaurant fries, and fry up some beef tallow fries at home. Your body and your taste buds will thank you!

Beef tallow fries recipe (3)

Safety first

If you’re new to frying foods in oil, you’ll want to make sure you know what safety precautions to follow. The most important thing to remember is to never leave hot oil unattended. Fat can ignite, and grease fires are dangerous and difficult to put out. This article will fill you in on everything you need to know about preventing grease fires, and what to do if one happens. Otherwise, just follow normal cooking safety. Make sure that children and pets stay a safe distance away. Keep an eye on the hot oil to make sure it stays at the right temperature, and you should be fine.

Equipment

To slice the potatoes, a mandolin with the proper attachments, or some other slicing gadget can be really handy if you have it. If you don’t, no need to worry. A nice sharp knife will work just fine.

A deep fat fryer is also really handy, but you don’t have to have one of those either. A nice deep pan (at least 5 inches) will work as well.

You’ll need a fryer skimmer, a medium sized mesh strainer, or just a large slotted spoon to life the fries out of the tallow.

A thermometer will be necessary to keep track of the tallow’s temperature.

Since I like to avoid paper products in my kitchen, I use flour sack towels to line my dish for the finished fries to go into. But, you could also use paper towels if you want.

All set? Let’s make some beef tallow fries!

Beef tallow fries recipe (4)

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Beef tallow fries recipe directions

Ingredients:

  • 4 – 6 potatoes, either Russet or sweet potatoes
  • Several cups grass fed beef tallow (you want it to be about 2 inches deep in the pan)
  • Sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, or Redmond Real salt

Instructions:

  1. Start heating tallow in a deep fat fryer or pan on the stove with tall sides to 350 – 360° F.
  2. While tallow is heating, peel and cut potatoes into fry sized sticks.
  3. Once the tallow has reached 350 – 360° F, carefully lower about a handful of potato pieces into the hot tallow.
  4. Give the fries a stir once or twice while cooking so that they fry evenly.
  5. Once they are golden brown, remove the fries from the hot tallow, and let them sit on the flour sack or paper towels.
  6. Immediately season to taste with salt.
  7. Repeat until all potato pieces are fried.
  8. Enjoy immediately! These fries are best eaten right away.

Other things you can make with grass fed tallow

How to Render Tallow

Tallow Soap Recipe

Tallow Lip Balm with Honey Recipe

How to Make Tallow Balm

Black Drawing Salve Recipe

Herb Infused Tallow Salve Recipe

Do you already cook with tallow?

Or are you new to it? What are you excited about making? Let me know in the comments!

Join our traditional wisdom community, and grab a free DIY home remedy recipes eBook when you subscribe!

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Grass fed beef tallow

Mandolin slicer

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Yield: 6 servings

Beef Tallow French Fries

Beef tallow fries recipe (6)

Golden, crisp, and delicious... this beef tallow fries recipe makes the best French fries ever!

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Total Time35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4-6 potatoes
  • several cups grass fed beef tallow, 2 inches in pan
  • sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, or Redmond Real salt

Instructions

  1. Start heating tallow in a deep fat fryer or pan on the stove with tall sides to 350 - 360° F.
  2. While tallow is heating, peel and cut potatoes into fry sized sticks.
  3. Once the tallow has reached 350 - 360° F, carefully lower about a handful of potato pieces into the hot tallow.
  4. Give the fries a stir once or twice while cooking so that they fry evenly.
  5. Once they are golden brown, remove the fries from the hot tallow, and let them sit on the flour sack or paper towels.
  6. Immediately season to taste with salt.
  7. Repeat until all potato pieces are fried.
  8. Enjoy immediately! These fries are best eaten right away.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1 people

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 777Total Fat: 69gSaturated Fat: 34gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 276mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

Beef tallow fries recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is beef tallow good for fries? ›

Because rendered beef fat, tallow, naturally high a very high smoke point of about 400 degrees F. This makes it perfect for frying french fries or roasting just about anything. The key when frying with any oil, but especially beef fat, is to give it time to come to temperature.

Why did people stop using beef tallow? ›

As innovation influenced preferences, the prominence of tallow in cooking began to wane. The emergence of vegetable oils, along with the growing popularity of alternatives like butter and lard, contributed to tallow's gradual exit from our culinary repertoire.

Are McDonald's fries fried in beef tallow? ›

From 1940 - 1985, McDonald's famous french fries used to be cooked in beef tallow. Everything changed in 1990 when a motivated millionaire pressured them to switch to vegetable oil. Since 1954, McDonald's has been the behemoth of fast food.

How many times can you fry in beef tallow? ›

Yes, you can reuse beef tallow after frying as long as you properly strain and store it. As a general rule of thumb, you can use it about three to four times before it becomes rancid. Monitor its color and smell before using it to check for freshness.

Why not to use tallow? ›

Since beef tallow isn't FDA-approved for topical use on your skin, it could put you at risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, DeRosa explained. “There are so many other fantastic products that one can use for the skin; I don't think this is worth the risk,” she said.

Is it better to fry in tallow or lard? ›

What are the main differences between tallow and lard? Tallow comes from beef and has a rich, savory flavor, perfect for frying and roasting, while lard, derived from pig fat, has a mild, neutral taste, making it ideal for baking and creating flaky pastries.

How unhealthy is beef tallow? ›

4. Suet and Tallow Are Healthy Fats. Suet and Tallow, just like avocado oil and coconut oil consists of natural and healthy unrefined saturated fats ~ an ideal daily addition to your healthy diet. Processed vegetable and seed oils like Canola Oil and Sunflower Oil are high in unhealthy polyunsaturated fats.

What are the negative effects of tallow? ›

Tallow Drawbacks
  • Allergic reactions. While tallow soaps are often marketed as being free of allergens, it's possible to have a reaction to some of their ingredients.
  • Changes in skin pH. Healthy skin has a pH of 5.4 to 5.9. ...
  • Tallow is temperature sensitive. ...
  • People often use too much tallow moisturizer.
Sep 29, 2023

Is tallow just lard? ›

Tallow is made from beef fat, while lard consists of pork fat. The variation in sources creates distinctive flavors and textures. Hardness: Tallow is slightly harder than lard and has a texture similar to solid butter or a bar of soap.

What does Wendy's fry their fries in? ›

Cooked In Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil, Vegetable Oil [May Contain One Or More Of The Following: Canola, Corn, Or Cottonseed], Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Dimethylpolysiloxane [Anti-Foaming Agent]). Seasoned With Sea Salt. COOKED IN THE SAME OIL AS MENU ITEMS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, MILK, AND FISH.

Does Buffalo Wild Wings use beef tallow? ›

There may be some variations outside the USA (update: Canadian BWW locations use soybean oil), but inside the country Buffalo Wild Wings is using a ton of beef tallow – even for their cauliflower wings.

Does Burger King use beef tallow? ›

The last big change for the company's french fries was about a decade ago when Burger King swapped out the beef tallow used to cook the fries for a healthier corn-soy blend. The secret of the new fries—dubbed Satisfries—is in the batter that coats fries sold in fast food restaurants.

Does beef tallow go rancid? ›

While beef tallow is used across industries for culinary, baking, and skin care applications, improper storage could result in rancidity, producing unpleasant odours and tastes that detract from its purpose. Store beef tallow in a cool, dark location to prevent oxidation and spoilage.

Why is beef tallow so expensive? ›

The Navy used tallow to lubricate the massive steam engines powering virtually all ships of the era, and they eventually depleted the stock. Tallow became more rare and expensive at about the same time that vegetable oils made from rapeseed hit the market.

What is the healthiest oil for deep frying? ›

Most healthful oils for deep frying

One study found that extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil were two of the most stable oils. The researchers heated 3 liters of oil in a deep fryer at 356°F (180°C) for 6 hours. This suggests that they may be the most suitable oils for deep frying.

Is beef tallow better than lard for fries? ›

For frying and a beefier taste, use tallow. For a lighter taste and as a fat source in baking, opt for lard. And in both situations, always opt for tallow and lard from grass-fed, grass-finished, and pasture-raised animals — the negative health effects from industrially-produced lard and tallow are not worth it.

Is duck fat or beef tallow better for french fries? ›

Universally, the best fat is beef tallow. The double fry method is overrated. The real technique is to blanch the fries in water with a dash of vinegar first, then freeze and fry from frozen. The water "poach/blanch" cooks the potato and the vinegar prevents the starch/pectin from breaking down.

What is the best oil for french fries? ›

Refined peanut oil is the best oil to use for making french fries. You can also use canola or safflower oil. Additionally, restaurant fries are so crispy because, among other things, they use old oil continuously.

Who fries their fries in beef tallow? ›

This Washington Post article from 1985 identifies Arby's, Bob's Big Boy, Burger King, Hardee's, McDonald's, Popeyes, and Wendy's as fast-food spots that use beef tallow in their fryers.

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