Tallow has made a massive comeback. And honestly, I'm glad to see it.

On the farm, we’ve always saved fat and suet. It’s one of those nearly-forgotten traditions: turning something humble into something incredibly useful. Tallow used to be in every kitchen. Bow it’s finding its way back for cooking, skincare, candles, salves and nutritional support.

But many people hesitate because rendering fat seems intimidating.

Here’s the good news:

If you have an Instant Pot, you can render tallow easily, cleanly, and safely, even if you’ve never done it before.

No spattering. No scorching. No pot watching.

Just a slow, gentle melt that produces a pure, snow-white tallow once cooled.

What You Need

• 2–5 lbs. beef fat trimmings or beef suet
  (Suet is firmer and gives a very clean tallow, but standard beef fat works beautifully too.)

• ½ cup water

• Instant Pot or other pressure cooker

• Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth

• Mason jars for storage

INSTANT POT TALLOW RECIPE

1. Prepare Your Fat

Trim off any large pieces of meat or membrane.
Dice the fat into small cubes (½–1 inch). Smaller pieces melt faster.

Tip: Suet is crumbly and much easier to cut when partially frozen.

2. Add Fat + Water to the Instant Pot

• Place the fat or suet into the Instant Pot.

• Add ½ cup of water — this prevents scorching during the first 20 minutes.

Don’t worry: the water evaporates during the process.

3. Set to Sauté → Immediately Switch to Slow Cook

Here’s the trick that makes this method nearly foolproof:

• Turn on Sauté first for just 5 minutes (this kickstarts the melt).

• When you see the very first puddle of melted fat, press Cancel.

• Switch to Slow Cook on Normal or Low.

Let it melt gently for 3–4 hours with the lid off or set askew.

The fat will slowly turn into a clear golden liquid with crisp little “cracklings” floating on top.

4. Strain

Set a fine mesh strainer (or cheesecloth-lined colander) over a heat-safe container or jar.

Pour the hot liquid fat through carefully, leaving solids behind.

5. Cool + Store

As it cools, the tallow turns:

• From liquid gold

• To creamy yellow

• Then to bright, opaque white

Store in jars at room temp for months, or in the fridge/freezer for even longer.

Which is Better: Fat or Suet?

Both are great, but they behave a little differently:

Beef Fat (Trimmings)

• Slightly richer aroma

• Fantastic for cooking (frying potatoes, searing meat, roasting veggies)

Beef Suet

• Very clean, neutral tallow

• Preferred for skincare, salves, balms and candles

How to Use Your Tallow

• High-heat cooking (it has a VERY high smoke point)

• Frying eggs or potatoes

• Roasting vegetables

• Seasoning cast iron

• Homemade tallow balm

• Candle making

• Dog treats (use sparingly)

Final Thoughts

Rendering tallow is one of those small, grounding kitchen traditions that make winter feel intentional. You take something simple, slow it down, and let the process nourish you.

If you try this Instant Pot method and fall in love with it, let me know. I love seeing what you create.

And if you need fat, suet, bones or other nose-to-tail cuts, the farm store is always open.