Why Did People Stop Using Beef Tallow?

You might not be familiar with using it at home, but if you ate French fries at McDonald's before 1990, then you've sampled the rich flavors of beef tallow. In fact, the secret ingredient in McDonald's French fries today is beef flavoring, which aims to replicate the taste of tallow. Unfortunately, despite being delicious, America moved away from using beef tallow, a saturated fat, when it started being linked to increases in cardiovascular issues and deaths. One of the biggest crusaders against the use of beef tallow was Philip Sokolof, who, after suffering a heart attack in 1966, went on a campaign against its use.

After founding the National Heart Savers Association, Sokolof published a newspaper ad titled "The Poisoning of America," outlining the dangers of saturated fats. Although he was threatened with lawsuits, consumers stopped buying several products Sokolof named in the article, prompting companies to change the oils they used. Sokolof then set his sights on fast-food restaurants, particularly McDonald's, though Burger King and Wendy's were also called out. Ultimately, they all switched to vegetable oil, which contains unsaturated fats.

However, not all restaurants stopped using tallow. Buffalo Wild Wings, for instance, continues to use tallow, and just recently, Steak 'N Shake announced it was switching to beef tallow for its French fries. This follows the nominee for Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., claiming on Instagram that seed oils are the leading cause of obesity in America. While the American Heart Association stresses that seed oils, like canola, are a healthier option that can lower the risk of heart disease, there is a middle ground between these views: moderation. 

Although folks can bicker back and forth between seed and vegetable oils versus tallow and which is more unhealthy, the key to eating any fat, saturated or unsaturated, is moderation. Beef tallow isn't something to be scared of so long as you're not chowing down on boatloads of it every day, and the same is true for canola, grapeseed, and corn oils.

Beef tallow, also known as beef drippings, is the rendered form of fat that surrounds the organs of a cow. Like coconut oil, tallow is solid at room temperature. It has a high smoke point and is excellent for frying and roasting. The type of saturated fat found in beef tallow is stearic acid, which some research has found doesn't raise cholesterol as much as other saturated fats. Moreover, it also contains polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, K, and E that benefit bone, immune, and skin health.

Although it will never be the healthiest option, in moderation, there are several simple ways to cook with beef tallow. For example, it's a fantastic way to add an extra savory element to sautéed or roasted veggies, and it can even be used for searing meat. Of course, it's always great for making perfectly crispy French fries. However, it can also be used for baking in place of oil-based shortening or brushed on pie crusts for a gorgeous golden finish. There are numerous ways beef tallow can brighten up your dishes; you just have to be mindful not to go overboard with it!