Beef tallow is a rendered fat that is cooked down from a cut of meat from a cow. This can come from practically any kind of cut—rump roast, steaks, ribs, and even ground beef can all create beef tallow.

Because the fat from beef is high in saturated fat, beef tallow is naturally solid at room temperature, with a texture similar to butter or lard. It is commonly used for cooking and frying foods, but it isn’t uncommon to also enjoy it in place of butter when spread on toast.