NORTHEAST WIS. – In many ways “clean” has been the trend descriptor of the year, used to describe products that forgo preservatives, additives and artificial ingredients. However, local businesses have been breaking into the clean scene with an age-old product, beef tallow.
Beef tallow is a rendered animal fat that is a solid at room temperature and easily melts for usage in different foods and beauty products. This product was a staple in many American households in decades past, but was abandoned by many due to concerns over saturated fat, Dietician and Gastroenterology Specialist Lori Russell explained in a Mayo Clinic article.
Russell wrote, “While saturated fats have been demonized in the past, eating certain kinds or small amounts might not be as harmful as previously thought.”
This outlook is shared by Primal Eats, a smokehouse, restaurant and catering business that has incorporated tallow into their products as a way to use simple ingredients. Primal sources their tallow in-house, rendering it from fat trimmed off of their smoked brisket.
A range of products from french fries to ribeye are prepared with beef tallow in the Primal Eats restaurant, located at 14109 County VV, Gillett.
General Manager Isaac Follett explained the impact, “At the beginning of this year we made the collective decision that we wanted to switch away from utilizing seed oils in the restaurant. And the first step that we took was in our fryers, we stopped using seed oil and switched over to 100% beef tallow.”
Seed oil, a type of vegetable oil, is extracted from the seeds of plants and is widely used for sauteing, baking and frying.
While the incorporation of beef tallow has been widely supported by many of their customers, some have voiced concerns online regarding saturated fat content of the product.
Scott Follett, one of the founders of Primal Eats, gave additional reasoning for why the business made the switch in an April 29 Facebook comment, “Compared to seed oils, beef tallow is more stable at high heat due to its high saturated fat content, making it less prone to oxidation and the formation of harmful compounds when frying. Tallow is also free from industrial processing and additives often found in seed oils. While it does contain saturated fat, which was once thought harmful, newer research suggests moderate consumption may not be linked to heart disease, especially when part of a whole-food diet. Seed oils, high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, can contribute to inflammation if consumed excessively.”
These statements were echoed by Russell, who also wrote that certain types and small amounts of beef tallow may not be as harmful as previously thought. Although more research is needed to completely understand its impact, she did suggest that those on a fat-restricted diet speak to their healthcare providers before making any large changes.
Isaac Follett expressed excitement about the change, “It’s just a step that we’re taking to provide a better consumer experience and advocate for the health benefits. It’s just the Primal way.”
Food preparation isn’t the only way local businesses have been incorporating the benefits of beef tallow into their products.
Jacqueline Kertesz, the Crivitz-based founder of Northwoods Tallow, incorporates the liquid product into her skincare line.
Kertesz explained that she had familiarity with tallow as a cooking product, but discovered its usage in skincare through social media. She began experimenting with skincare product creation after struggling to find all-natural products for sensitive skin that she could share with her son who had eczema.
“It was a blessing,” Kertesz said, not only for her son, but for her friends and family that she shared the products with.
Currently, Northwoods Tallow offers “Whipped Beef Tallow Cream” and a “sMOOth Stick” chapstick, both of which use simple ingredients and are scented with essential oils or unscented. The tallow for these items was originally sourced through her sister from a farm in Michigan, but comes from Pelkin’s Smokey Meat Market in Crivitz today.
Russell addressed similar skincare products in her article, “the fat-soluble vitamins in beef tallow may improve skin’s elasticity and overall healthy appearance when applied topically.”
But, much like the impact of fat in diet, Russell does suggest taking caution with incorporating any new skincare products into a beauty regimen, including those made from beef tallow.
To learn more about beef tallow in beauty products, visit Northwoods Tallow on Facebook to find more information.
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