How to Make the Best Homemade Tallow for Brisket

Learn how to render the purest, most flavorful beef tallow at home using tested methods for maximum yield and optimal taste.

Introduction

Beef tallow is a game-changer when wrapping briskets, adding moisture and enhancing flavor. But not all tallow is created equal. Through extensive testing, I’ve discovered the best way to render high-yield, pure tallow that complements the natural taste of brisket. Whether you’re looking for a clean, neutral tallow or want to infuse it with a subtle smoky touch, this guide will walk you through each step to achieve the perfect result.

Step 1: Prepping the Fat

To get the most tallow from your fat trimmings, it’s essential to break them down properly. The best method is to grind the fat using a meat grinder, which increases the surface area and boosts yield. If you don’t have a grinder, mincing the fat into tiny pieces with a knife is a good alternative.

Step 2: Choosing the Best Rendering Method

There are two main methods for rendering fat: dry rendering and wet rendering.

• Dry renderinginvolves cooking fat in its own liquid, but this can lead to strong beefy or even burnt flavors.
• Wet rendering, which uses water to extract impurities, results in a purer and more neutral tallow.

Through testing, I found that wet rendering in an Instant Pot produced the cleanest, whitest tallow in the shortest time.

Step 3: Rendering the Fat

1. Stovetop Method:Add 8 cups of water per 2–3 lbs of fat in a large pot. Simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Instant Pot Method (Recommended):Use the pressure cook function at 240°F for 2 hours. This yields a cleaner, more refined tallow in less time.

Once rendered, strain out the solid fat and let the tallow cool. The water will separate from the fat, making it easy to extract the solidified tallow after refrigeration.

Step 4: Purifying the Tallow (Optional)

To achieve ultra-clean tallow, some methods suggest multiple boils or adding salt to extract impurities. However, extensive testing showed that double and triple boiling offered little noticeable improvement. A food-safe sodium bentonite clay experiment did slightly purify the tallow, but it introduced an earthy, gritty taste—so it’s not recommended.

Step 5: Enhancing Flavor with Smoke

To infuse a subtle smoky flavor into the tallow:

• Smoke the liquid tallow for 2 hoursat 225°F using mild wood like oak or hickory.
• Avoid smoking for more than 6 hours, as the tallow can develop an overpowering, almost artificial smoky taste.

Final Thoughts

By using wet rendering with an Instant Pot and carefully balancing smoke infusion, you can create the perfect homemade tallow for wrapping brisket. This method ensures a pure, high-yield tallow with just the right amount of flavor to elevate your BBQ.