Wet Rendering Technique
When I first started my tallow journey, I spent hours researching different techniques of rendering. The majority of the information I found pertained to a wet rendering or "purifying" technique. This method involves adding salt and water to the fat, heating it, and allowing it to cool so the tallow forms a solid layer that can be separated from the water. The water is then poured off and this process is repeated multiple times to produce a snowy white, supposedly odorless tallow.
However, during my first attempt at wet rendering, I noticed that the water became gelatinous after the initial purification. This reminded me of making bone broth, where gelatin forms as it cools, retaining vital nutrients.
Discarding this gelatinous water felt like throwing away essential nutrients. I questioned the logic of repeating this purification process 5-6 times and wondered what nutritional value would remain in the tallow.
Dry Rendering Technique
Going with my intuition, I decided against using the highly purified tallow. Instead, I wanted a product that maintained its natural nutritional profile.
Further research led me to a company, Grassland Beauty out of Arizona, that tested the nutritional profile of wet rendered tallow as well as dry rendered. Dry rendering is simply the melting of suet fat in the absence of salt and water. The results confirmed my concerns about wet rendering: repeated purifications altered the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and resulted in a loss of nutrients.
My goal will always be to create products as close to its natural state as possible, ensuring the most nutrient-dense products for you. This is why we dry render our tallow.
Color: A clue to grass-fed tallow & essential nutrients
As far as a snowy white tallow, I strive for a yellow hue. This yellow hue is an indicator the cow was indeed grass-fed; Beta Carotene which converts to Vitamin A (Retinol) is found in grass. When the cow eats the grass the Beta Carotene is stored in the fat. This is an essential nutrient for skin health, so a tallow with a yellow hue is a sign the cow was indeed grass-fed, providing a richer and more nutritious product.
With that said, Dry rendering preserves these natural nutrients and ensures a more beneficial end product which is our ultimate goal.
Hello! I found this post on my quest for rendering information as a new student of the process. As I type I have my first small batch of tallow wet rendering in a crock pot. What you said about loss of nutrients is something I had not seen or read before. I wonder, if you dry render, how do the impurities get worked out? Thank you!