Tallow Moisturizer

Not all fats are created equal!

Here is how to reuse beef fat or tallow for making moisturizer. The moisturizer is great for the cold winter and stays firm in the car throughout the 6 months of minnesota winter.

Moisturizer value... there are plenty of health websites that boast of the benefits. Natural fats and vitimans... I compare the moisturizer to chapstick or aquaphor. It creates a barrier much like the petroleum based products and still moisturizes.

Supplies

• Rendered Beef Fat - the fat shown here comes from a recent instructable, Budget Meals: Ground Beef
• Mixer - here I'm using a kitchenaid classic stand mixer. Easy to use a hand mixer or even mix by hand.
• Olive Oil - the least expensive salad/marinade variety is what we stock... typically look for at or below $7.00/liter.
• Container - any old container will do. This one is from a dollartree pack.

Step 1: Tallow - Rendered Beef Fat

There are many ways to separate fat but the easiest one I know is to skim the fat with a silicone ladle. You can see I'm cooking in our wok which makes it easy to gather... much more difficult in a flat pan.

In recent instructables I've shown how we make stock and save the fat for cooking. Chicken and pork have fat that is easily reused in cooking (see stocking schmaltz). Beef fat is thicker which can be greasy when cooking veggies.

Step 2: Skim Impurities

Most impurities separate on their own. They either clink to the sides, surface or sink to the bottom. I use a spoon along the surface to remove the 'cover' the top layer forms when the cooled fat was placed in the fridge.

Step 3: Mixing

Add ingredients to the mixing bowl.

• Tallow / Beef Fat - use this as your basis for determining how much olive oil to add
• Olive Oil - gradually add olive oil. Don't add more olive oil than tallow.

I start with approximately 50% olive oil to tallow. Add from there.

Essential Oils. Now's the time to add any essential oils. Despite being made from beef the tallow is relatively odorless. I like that. But if I was choosing a scent it would be tea tree or eucalyptus.

Step 4: Storage

Simply add to a jar or any handy container...

Winter Use. I only reach for a thick moisturizer in the winter which is convenient because I prefer the tallow moisturizer to stay firm. You could keep on a shelf for a more creamy product. I use the moisturizer as a lip balm and keep it in the car.

Storage. Stored cold it will easily last the 6 months of minnesota winter. At room temp I would keep it longer than 3 weeks.

Budget cooking. I've really enjoyed putting together two instructables focused on meal planning. Have a look at how we use ground beef and cooked ham.

Thanks for reading! --Jeff
We are bracing for 8" of snow tonight! Winter is here!!

Here are a few other recent reuse instructables:

• Wall Mount Can Storage - how a bi-fold door turns into storage for canned goods
• Chicken Coop Heater - how we use an old coffee can keep our backyard chickens warm