Rich G
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Lots of uses for tallow, I like it as the fat that I use when making "Sonoran" Tortillas. Use it however you like, but here's how I render it out.....
When I trim out a brisket, I save all the fat for tallow (unless I'm planning to make sausage soon, and then I save it for that.....) Don't save the "squidgy" fat, just the white, hard stuff. Also, try your best to remove all the lean from these pieces of fat. It's ok if you get a bit in there, but for the most part, you just want pure hard fat. Toss all these trimmings into a cast iron pot, and throw it in your smoker while it's cooking your brisket (as long as the temp is under 240F......preferable more like 225F.) If you are cooking your brisket hotter than 240, or you don't have the smoker going, then just toss it in the oven at 230F. Stir it occasionally until the fat has all rendered out, and the pieces that are left are just beginning to cook/fry (my last batch was ~4lbs of fat, and took 8 hours to render......and I could have gone longer.)
Place a funnel in a mason jar that's large enough for your volume of fat. Line it with double paper towels, and slowly pour or ladle your rendered fat from the pot into the funnel. Let it cool, then pop it in the fridge. It should keep in the fridge for longer than it will take you to use it. I've seen sites that mention keeping it in the fridge up to a year. If you freeze it, it will last darn near forever if you have it wrapped up very tightly, or vacuum packed.
Here's my latest batch..... First pic just going into the smoker:
About 8 hours later, and just about to come off (this could have gone longer, maybe a couple/three more hours)....
All filtered/strained, and ready to cool off....
When I trim out a brisket, I save all the fat for tallow (unless I'm planning to make sausage soon, and then I save it for that.....) Don't save the "squidgy" fat, just the white, hard stuff. Also, try your best to remove all the lean from these pieces of fat. It's ok if you get a bit in there, but for the most part, you just want pure hard fat. Toss all these trimmings into a cast iron pot, and throw it in your smoker while it's cooking your brisket (as long as the temp is under 240F......preferable more like 225F.) If you are cooking your brisket hotter than 240, or you don't have the smoker going, then just toss it in the oven at 230F. Stir it occasionally until the fat has all rendered out, and the pieces that are left are just beginning to cook/fry (my last batch was ~4lbs of fat, and took 8 hours to render......and I could have gone longer.)
Place a funnel in a mason jar that's large enough for your volume of fat. Line it with double paper towels, and slowly pour or ladle your rendered fat from the pot into the funnel. Let it cool, then pop it in the fridge. It should keep in the fridge for longer than it will take you to use it. I've seen sites that mention keeping it in the fridge up to a year. If you freeze it, it will last darn near forever if you have it wrapped up very tightly, or vacuum packed.
Here's my latest batch..... First pic just going into the smoker:
About 8 hours later, and just about to come off (this could have gone longer, maybe a couple/three more hours)....
All filtered/strained, and ready to cool off....
