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!

Beef tallow fries recipe (5)

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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.

Does McDonald's cook their fries in beef tallow? ›

After years of pressure, McDonald's caved to Sokoloff and the Heart Saver's Association. In 1990, McDonald's announced they would be replacing their deep frier with Vegetable oil and finally getting rid of beef tallow. Customers were outraged, as they noticed a lackluster taste from the new french fry.

Why did McDonald's stop using tallow? ›

Sokolof spent several decades and $15 million on his crusade. Facing full-page ads and consistent attacks from Sokolof, McDonald's caved. In 1990, the company announced that they would replace the beef tallow with 100 percent vegetable oil. After the announcement, McDonald's stock fell 8.3 percent.

How to make beef tallow for frying? ›

How to Render Beef Tallow
  1. Add the beef fat to a stock pot. Gather the beef fat in a large stock pot, and heat to a low simmer. ...
  2. Slowly simmer to render the beef fat. During the cooking time, you will notice the fat slowly starts to render and cook. ...
  3. Strain. Straining is important. ...
  4. Use or store.
Jul 19, 2023

Is frying in beef tallow unhealthy? ›

Beef tallow is healthy

Grass fed beef tallow isn't just flavorful and a great local option for high-heat cooking, it's also a healthy option. Tallow contains linoleic acid which is considered a natural anti-inflammatory. Grass-fed beef tallow is rich in vitamin A and vitamin D.

Why not to use tallow? ›

“Tallow is not approved by the FDA to be used in skin care because of the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease,” she notes. “So if you were to find tallow in skin care, it would usually be something local or homemade.”

How many times can you fry with beef tallow? ›

You can reuse beef tallow for frying multiple times! 💡 Simply strain and store it properly, and it can be reused about 3-4 times. In fact our founder, @catherine_farrant, reuses her beef tallow without straining often and it's wonderful 🙌

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.

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 beef tallow healthy? ›

Boosts your immune health – with unprocessed fats like beef tallow in your diet, it's easier for your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins that support your immune system. Rich in nutrients – not only does it help you absorb more nutrients from your food, but beef tallow is also rich in vitamins A, D, E, K, and B1.

What is the secret flavor of McDonald's fries? ›

McDonald's wanted to keep its signature beefy flavor but without the beef fat itself, so it came up with a solution. Now the fast-food chain adds “natural beef flavor” to its vegetable oil to give its fries their irresistibly meaty taste.

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.

Is tallow the same as 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 is the best fat for french fries? ›

While peanut oil is still easier and cheaper to find and buy, we recommend giving the diluted beef tallow method a shot, as it produces superior tasting fries. Whatever you cook with, the key to good crispy homemade french fries is careful temperature control.

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.

Can I use tallow in a deep fryer? ›

Crispier with animal fats

This is an old trick that is resurfacing now that the hysteria regarding animal fats is cooling down: With lard or tallow in the deep frier you will get a crispier result when cooking dough in one form or another.

Who cooks their fries in beef tallow? ›

Smashburger, like Buffalo Wild Wings, fries its items in beef tallow, as stated in its ingredient lists.

References

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