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

Thermometer

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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.

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

No. Our fries are not coated in any fats or substances from an animal.

How many times can you fry in 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 🙌

Is frying in beef tallow unhealthy? ›

Plus, when used for frying, beef tallow has a high smoke point, which means that it can withstand high temperatures without breaking down and releasing harmful toxins. So not only does it taste great, but it's also a healthier option compared to other cooking oils.

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.

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 oil does McDonald's use for their fries? ›

Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them. Want to hear more about our fry ingredients? Get the down low on how we flavor our fries.

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. Salt: Sea Salt.

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.

Why do McDonald's fries taste so good? ›

After doing some digging, McDonalds do explain on their website that during the process of making the fries "suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes" using an "oil blend that contains beef flavoring."

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? ›

Olive oil and avocado oil are good choices for deep frying. Peanut and palm oils are less suitable, either for health or environmental reasons.

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.

What animal fat is good for french fries? ›

Grassfed tallow is liquid gold with a high smoke point, perfect for everything from deep frying french fries, chicken tenders, or searing a steak. It's an excellent source of CLA, a fatty acid rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K which has been shown to help increase fat loss.

Is it better to fry in tallow or lard? ›

Culinary Uses: How to Cook with Tallow and Lard

Tallow and lard might be cut from the same cloth of animal fats, but they shine in different areas of the kitchen. With a high smoke point of approximately 420 degrees, tallow is your go-to for frying and roasting, making it a great alternative to cooking oil.

Does Buffalo Wild Wings use tallow for fries? ›

Don't take my word for it, here's a link to the official Buffalo Wild Wings website.

References

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