My diet:

Beef tallow

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Animal
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Every diet

VeganNo

Beef tallow is cattle fat.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalDepends

Halal only if the cattle were slaughtered and certified as halal.

KosherDepends

Kosher only with a hechsher. The fat is meat, not dairy.

KetoYes

Beef tallow is fat.

Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Beef tallow is cattle fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free and used for high-heat frying. Halal and kosher versions exist only when the animal and the plant are certified.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromAnimal
What it doesFats & oils
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledBeef tallow, Tallow

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Beef tallow is a meat fat, not an E-number. Halal and kosher status depend on the slaughter and on certification. An uncertified grocery tub cannot be assumed to meet either rule.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Suet is diced and heated until the fat runs clear of the cracklings. Some fryer fats labeled tallow are this rendered fat. Dripping from a roast pan is a home version, salted by the meat juices.

Where it comes from: Beef tallow is rendered fat from cattle, traditionally the firm fat around the kidneys, called suet before it is melted. The rendered fat is solid at room temperature and smells mild if it was rendered cleanly.

Why it’s in food

  • Fries potatoes
  • Seasons a cast-iron pan
  • Makes a pastry
  • Confits beef

Often found in

French friesRoast potatoesPie crustSuet puddingSeasoned pansSome traditional candles that are not food

Also listed as: Beef tallow, Tallow, Rendered beef fat, Beef suet, Dripping

Health & gut impact

Slaughter certificationUnder study

The fat carries the status of the animal. Without a halal or kosher mark, a shopper cannot know how the cattle were slaughtered.

Halal and kosher rules for cattle fat

Saturated fatConcern

Tallow is a firm saturated fat. Frying in it every day is a different dietary pattern from frying in an unsaturated oil.

Fatty-acid profile of beef tallow

What can I use instead?

Lard

Ratio: A softer animal fat from pork, with the opposite religious verdict

Best for: Pastry

Cocoa butter

Ratio: A plant fat when the recipe cannot use meat

Best for: Confectionery

Related

More fats & oils:

ButterButter is a dairy fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free, and a normal pat is low enough in lactose that many low-FODMAP plans allow it. Peanut butter and cocoa butter are not this food.Use in moderationCanola oilCanola oil is a neutral cooking oil from low-erucic rapeseed. Canola oil is vegan and gluten-free. The old worry about erucic acid applies to industrial rapeseed, not to the canola sold as food.Generally safeCocoa butterCocoa butter is the vegan fat of the cocoa bean. It is what makes chocolate snap and then melt. It is gluten-free and keto-friendly, and it is not a dairy butter.Generally safeCoconut oilCoconut oil is a vegan plant fat that stays solid in a cool kitchen. It is popular on keto labels. Feeding trials show it raises LDL cholesterol more than unsaturated oils do.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is beef tallow halal?

Only when the cattle were slaughtered to halal rules and the product is certified. The word tallow alone does not say that.

Is suet the same as tallow?

Suet is the raw fat. Tallow is that fat after rendering.

Is Beef tallow safe?

Use in moderation (70/100). Beef tallow is a meat fat, not an E-number. Halal and kosher status depend on the slaughter and on certification. An uncertified grocery tub cannot be assumed to meet either rule.

Is Beef tallow vegan?

No. Beef tallow is cattle fat.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Halal and kosher rules for cattle fat
  • Fatty-acid profile of beef tallow