I don’t always smear cow fat all over my body…oh wait, yes I do!

Hang with me here…

I’m not talking about just any ‘ol cow fat, I’m talking about the goodness we call Tallow Balm! Never heard of it? Well, by definition, Tallow Balm is a nutrient-rich moisturizer that is made from high-quality beef tallow.

What the heck is beef tallow? It’s simply fat that has been rendered from a cow.

Say what?

I know. If you’re new to this sort of thing, this might be a bit intimidating, but let me tell ya, tallow balm is hands down the best overall moisturizer I have ever used…and I have tried a lot! You see, tallow is extremely compatible with our own skin on a cellular level, and can therefore be absorbed readily, locking in moisture and nutrients (Vitamins A, D, E, & K) without clogging pores. It can truly give our skin the nutrients it needs in the most accessible way.

When I was first introduced to tallow balm I entertained the idea because of a few reasons; one, I had terribly dry heels, like calloused and cracked bad and was willing to try anything, two, the idea that I could use something (beef fat) that would otherwise be thrown out was very appealing to me, and three, because I absolutely love natural products and finding new ways to make and use them! And man, once I used it, I was hooked! Just ask Chicken (hubby) and the kiddos. I couldn’t stop raving about how much I loved my cow fat! It was like a little whipped miracle…seriously!

I know what you are thinking, doesn’t it smell bad? No, it doesn’t, not after the double melting/straining process (the melting process does produce a meat odor the same as if you were cooking meat on the stove) as it removes all the impurities from the tallow leaving you with a creamy white product that has only a faint, but pleasant, smell. Enter the essential oils. I love to add high-quality essential oils to my tallow balm for even greater skin/health care, but also for their fabulous fragrance as well. This is where you can get creative and try out all sorts of blends and combinations!

Tallow balm is not hard to make, it just takes some time and effort like all the good things in life. And the great thing is, it will last you a long time as a little really does go a long way!

How To Make:

First, find the highest quality beef fat that you can. I source all of my tallow from a local farm just down the road from me, super convenient and I know the quality can’t be beat! You can also ask your local butcher for tallow, a lot of places just throw it out which means you should be able to get it for a great price, possibly even for free! Once you have your tallow I suggest freezing it, it makes the cutting process so much easier!

Once it’s frozen, cut the tallow into small chunks and melt it over low heat on the stovetop. This melting process will take a little bit of time as you want a low heat so as not to burn your tallow.

Once melted, strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl and place in the refrigerator until it becomes solid. Pop the hardened tallow out of the bowl and slice off any brown bits (bottom) from the otherwise “clean” tallow before placing it back on the stove for another round of melting/straining.

After you have melted/strained for the second time, pour your liquid tallow into a mixing bowl (not plastic!) and add the olive oil and essential oils of your choice. Place in refrigerator until the liquid begins to set. Remove from refrigerator and whip with a handheld mixer (I use my Kitchen Aid) until light and fluffy. Spoon into glass jars and seal with a lid. Store at room temperature.

*1 Cup Melted Tallow

*2-4 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Makes tallow softer and more spreadable as well as adds additional healing & moisturizing properties.) Adjust quantity depending on the consistency you are going for; can also be omitted if needed/wanted.

*Essential Oils Of Choice (Most likely 30-40 drops per Cup of melted tallow).

And that’s it! Homemade moisturizing goodness!