The primary purpose of posting this is to let those who don't pay attention to the fats they use, that tallow and lard are MUCH healthier that alternatives that the corporate food companies want you to believe. Would they lie to you ... YES. They told you that margarine was healthy for you.
Once a staple in your grandparent’s or great-grandparent’s savory roasts, buttery-flaky pastries and greasing pans, beef tallow is making an unexpected return to households, marketed as a wellness superstar.
Tallow is a whitish substance that is solid at room temperature. It’s made by removing, simmering and clarifying the fatty tissue that surrounds the organs of ruminant animals. Ruminant animals chew their cud and include cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats and deer. Beef tallow is commonly made from cows and is sometimes called “beef drippings.”
Tallow and lard both contribute distinctive flavors in culinary applications. Beef tallow lard is known for its rich, savory, and beefy flavor, making it a perfect companion for meat dishes and vegetable preparations. Imagine sinking your teeth into a piece of steak, seared to perfection in tallow. The savory and meaty flavor of tallow elevates the dish.
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. Ever wondered why those restaurant fries taste so good? It’s the tallow that gives them that extra crispiness and prevents the development of burnt oil flavors.
In contrast, lard is known for its neutral taste, carrying a hint of sweetness. This neutrality makes lard a versatile player in the culinary world, serving as a healthier alternative to vegetable oil. Whether it’s a sweet pastry or a savory pie, lard’s unique flavor subtly complements the dish without dominating it.
Beef tallow is typically used for cooking at high temperatures such as deep frying and roasting. Tallow also has many nonfood uses and can be an ingredient in candles, soaps and topical skincare, it can even be used to season cast-iron pans.
Tallow shares many similarities with lard. But lard is sourced from pigs and has a softer texture and milder flavor, which makes it a preferred choice for baked goods.
What sets beef tallow apart from other cooking fats, and has it currently trending in the wellness community, is its unique fat profile.
Like other solid cooking fats such as butter and coconut oil, beef tallow is made up primarily of saturated fat. Liquid fats such as olive oil, peanut oil and canola oil are primarily unsaturated fats.
While saturated fats have been demonized in the past, eating certain kinds or small amounts might not be as harmful as previously thought. In tallow, some of the saturated fat is a specific type known as stearic acid. Stearic acid appears to not raise cholesterol in the same way as other saturated fats.
Tallow also contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are considered healthier. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is one polyunsaturated omega-6 fat found in animal fats and linked to potential health benefits such as preventing plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis).
In addition to fat, beef tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins that are vital for various bodily functions, including immune support, bone health, cellular function and skin health. Animal varieties that are 100% grass fed will provide a more expensive nutrient profile.
When to choose tallow vs other fats.
Olive oil is a healthy choice and one that we keep on hand but this has quite a low smoke point, so is best only heated to a low temperature or enjoyed raw, on salads or breads.
We also use coconut oil and butter in our cooking, but they do not have a high enough smoke point for high temperature cooking and they’re not always the right flavor in some Asian or Italian dishes.
In terms of the other most common oils and fats to choose from, it leaves us with animal fats, lard and tallow from chemical free, preferably from grass fed animals, but I’m not considered a purist on that aspect. They have a desirable fat profile, are a saturated fats, can be heated to high temperatures (tallow actually has a higher smoking point than lard), keep well and taste great.
Yes, just like butter and coconut oil, tallow is a saturated fat and that’s actually a good thing.
Butter, especially grass-fed, is high in Vitamins A and E. A tablespoon of lard, in comparison, is about 115 calories, but is only about 25 percent of your daily saturated fat intake. Lard is also lower in cholesterol than butter, but doesn't contain Vitamins A and E.
Lard has zero artificial trans fats. Lard is naturally stable and solid at room temperature; when heated, it does not release free radicals, which have been linked to cancer, as vegetable oils do. Lard health benefits include actually raising levels of good cholesterol.
Crisco is NOT tallow or lard. Crisco is a heavily processed and hydrogenated vegetable fat, while tallow is a natural product rendered from animal fat. The partially hydrogenated fats found in vegetable shortening are now considered to be the least healthy option of fats when compared to tallow and lard.
Store-bought lard is often hydrogenated.
Companies hydrogenate lard to increase the stability, shelf-life, and texture of their products.
Unfortunately, hydrogenation increases the number of trans fats, which are responsible for negative health outcomes, such as causing our blood sugar to go up, our LDL cholesterol to increase, and our HDL cholesterol to decrease.
This is not a broad anti-fat stance. Naturally occurring trans fats from bacteria digesting grass in a ruminant’s stomach, such as CLAs, have been repeatedly shown to not be harmful. But while the fear of fats in the 20th century was a gross example of corporate marketing governing nutrition, the American Heart Association recommends limiting processed trans fats.
The takeaway? Buy lard from companies and farmers who prioritize health and taste over profits to ensure you’re eating healthy fats.
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