Five marys beef tallow
I don’t know if you’ve seen the major surge in skincare hype online recently… but teens especially are getting very into it - seems like younger and younger these days, right?! A lot of the popular skincare brands that are gaining popularity with teens have ingredients like retinol in them that they just simply don’t need yet.
I was inspired to create some skincare for the girls that is really good for them but doesn’t have a lot of ingredients… just pure and simple stuff. Turns out I’m going to use it too :) I’ve spent the last several weeks in the kitchen (pretty much non-stop, honestly) making beef tallow moisturizer from our very own Five Marys Pastured Natural Beef Tallow.
After we nailed the recipe and process, we moved our little operation to a commercial kitchen in town (right next door to my shop!) so we can make jars for YOU!
We use our Five Marys beef suet for all of our tallow jars - it’s about a 3+ day process to render it down… but it’s pretty incredible to get it so pure and clear. That’s from well-raised ‘clean’ animals! After the second render, you cool the tallow and then pop it out of the pot - any impurities or water is left on the bottom. Then after two renderings to clean and ‘wash’ the tallow, you’re left with a ‘tallow cake’ that is perfectly pure. I chopped it up before the third and final render. It’s quite the process but the end result is soooo worth it.
I added organic cold-pressed jojoba oil, which is an excellent moisturizer to keep skin hydrated and it doesn’t clog pores. I also added some organic rose hip oil in some of them. It’s a great oil to hydrate and repair the skin. It also helps with sun spots or scars. After the oils were added it was time for my favorite part… whipping! I love how fluffy it got. I used a piping tip to add it to the jars.
The swirls you see below are a mix of tallow, jojoba, rose hip oil, lavender, and beet root powder. The lavender is great for stress relief and overall just really nice on the skin! There isn’t enough color in there to tint the skin at all - it just makes it fun and hopefully keeps teens using this instead of the other stuff! It’s so silky smooth, weightless and moisturizing.
BENEFITS OF BEEF TALLOW SKINCARE
Beef tallow (rendered fat from cows) has been traditionally used in skincare for its nourishing and protective properties… there are sooooo many benefits! Make sure you use tallow that is high-quality, grass-fed and rendered without additives for maximum benefits.
RICH IN SKIN-NOURISHING NUTRIENTS
Vitamin A: Promotes cell turnover and skin regeneration.
Vitamin D: Helps repair skin damage and supports elasticity.
Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant to protect against free radicals.
Vitamin K: Supports skin healing and can reduce redness or irritation.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Maintain the skin’s barrier and hydration levels
MIMICS SKIN’S NATURAL OILS
The composition of tallow is similar to the natural oils (sebum) produced by human skin, making it highly compatible and restorative to dry or oily skin by regulating sebum production.
Tallow is absorbed easily without clogging pores.
DEEPLY MOISTURIZING
Excellent emollient - locking in moisture and preventing water loss.
Ideal for dry, cracked or winter-weathered skin.
PROMOTES SKIN HEALING
Anti-inflammatory properties of tallow can soothe irritation and reduce redness.
Encourages faster healing of minor wounds, cuts or burns.
Tallow’s lipid structure helps repair the skin’s barrier, making it effective for eczema, psoriasis and other dry skin conditions.
FREE FROM HARMFUL CHEMICALS
Natural, unprocessed tallow contains no synthetic fragrances, preservatives or irritants.
Perfect for those with sensitive skin or who prefer minimalistic, natural skincare.
ANTI-AGING PROPERTIES
High levels of antioxidants (Vitamin E and Vitamin A) help combat free radical damage.
Promotes collagen production, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
EFFECTIVE FOR MULTIPLE SKIN USES
Face Cream: Lightweight and nourishing for daily use.
Body Moisturizer: Heals dry patches and smooths rough areas like elbows and knees.
Lip Balm: Restores hydration to chapped lips.
Hand Salve: Protects and moisturizes hands exposed to frequent washing or harsh weather.
Spot Treatment: Apply to areas of irritation, dryness or minor wounds.
OUR PROCESS
Start with a package of Five Marys Pasture Raised Natural Beef Tallow and ‘wet render’ it in a large cast-iron pot on very low heat. Add two inches of water to the pot and a tablespoon of salt for every pound of fat. Strain out the meaty bits as they arise in the pot.
A slow cooker also works - use the same method as above. It takes a little longer but uses such low heat that it is very unlikely that you will overheat the suet. If too high of heat is used, the tallow may have more of a toasted-cooked flavor and the tallow could darken in color.
Slowly simmer the suet and allow it to liquefy. Don’t allow it to hard boil - just a slow simmer. Once most of the fat has rendered into a yellowish liquid separated from the meaty pieces, take the pot from the heat and strain through a fine mesh.
Let it cool on the counter or in the refrigerator. Remove fat disk and scrape the bits from the bottom of the disk if there are any.
Render the fat again for about 4+ hours. Add water and salt to wet render again - as it simmers the bubbles are the water evaporating and the salt holds on to any impurities. You can also ‘dry render’ without water and salt if it looks and smells ‘clean’ already.
Let it cool again. Remove fat disk and scrape the bits from the bottom of the pot.
Melt everything in a large pot and add in jojoba oil (4:1 tallow to oil ratio) or your favorite oil.
Add in your favorite essential oil (we love lavender!)
Let it cool.
Whip with beaters while it is mostly solid (our favorite part!)
Add it to the jar and label :)
BUT WE DON’T JUST USE TALLOW FOR OUR SKIN… WE COOK WITH IT TOO!
Our all-natural tallow and lard is AMAZING for your kitchen and cooking. You will LOVE having this jar next to your stovetop… I use mine EVERYDAY.
It’s perfect for high-heat cooking, searing steaks, crisping potatoes, cooking eggs or veggies or frying anything!
Use it to replace seed oils, cooking oils, butter, to coat your cooking pans and surfaces, to fry any foods or in your baking. You won’t believe the difference - the subtle flavor it adds is decadent and it’s SO GOOD FOR YOU!
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LARD AND TALLOW?
BEEF TALLOW
Has a higher smoke point than lard, making it ideal for frying and roasting.
Tallow is rich in fat-soluable vitamins, including A, B, E, K and B12. It also contains conugated linoleic acid (CLA) which may help reduce body fat.
Tallow has a deeper nutritional profile than lard and has a richer flavor.
PORK LARD
Has a lower smoke point than tallow, making it better for baking and seasoning cast-iron pans.
Lard is a good source of Vitamin D and also contains Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C and iron.
Lard is ideal for making tortillas, pastries and biscuits and can give them a light, fluffy texture and crispy exterior.
Lard is shelf-stable and can be left out on the counter in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator if you prefer. Make sure to not get water in your jar to avoid mold.
When sourced from high-quality, pasture-raised pork, lard can be wholesome, minimally processed ingredient that adds depth and richness to recipes while providing a more natural alternative to heavily processed cooking oils.
Smoke point : 375 degrees F.
BOTH TALLOW AND LARD
Rich in fat-soluble vitamins and can last for months or even years on the shelf.
For the best nutritional value, look for grass-fed or pasture-raised options.