About a month ago we ran out of freezer beef. We got another one slaughtered and had to pick it up at the slaughter house the other day. I have learned since I started FULL ON homesteading that there are cycles and rhythms to everything. For instance we always try to calve in the spring. Spring is also the time to plant the garden and subsequently preserve it all. As you know that takes quite a bit of time. In the fall the animals are slaughtered and the fall garden matures and is preserved. Winter is when I make soap, sew clothes and other household items, bake bread, and get creative making jewelry and hair accessories. Well the beef was done early this year because we ran out. We usually split a beef with my mother and father in law. They get one half and we get one half. Since we are 5 people and they are 2 that always seemed weird. Anyway, with this steer we got 3/4 of it so my freezer is extra full. (In fact, we went and bought a second freezer this past weekend.) Along with the new meat I also got all the fat from the 1300 lb. steer. I did not have the space to freeze it at that time so I had to render it. Imagine rendering tallow in 95 degree Tennessee weather. The humidity has been insane this year and I felt pretty insane rendering the tallow. It took about half the day and I was pouring down sweat the entire time. I had my chacos on until my toes and the hairs on my legs where burnt (Yes, I do shave my legs but my hair grows pretty quick). I then put long pants and boots on for the duration. My husband made me a long paddle out of oak to stir the tallow in and a squeezy thing to squeeze the cracklins! I kept thinking how much fun it would have been to do this in the fall or winter! I now have two 5 gallon buckets of white beef tallow that is perfect for making a nice hard bar of soap! ........ In the winter.
By they way, the big cast iron pot was my husbands grandmother's. Our farm has been in the family for over 200 years and it is exciting to know I am stirring the same pot that she did!
By they way, the big cast iron pot was my husbands grandmother's. Our farm has been in the family for over 200 years and it is exciting to know I am stirring the same pot that she did!
Awesome! I render lard but in the house- not in the neat way that you do your tallow! Great pictures!
ReplyDeleteI usually render lard in the house too, and during the months of July and August I think that is "the smart way" to do it. I did really enjoy doing it outside and can't wait until it is cold outside to render the lard from the pig. I was a little worried about controlling the heat of the fire (the stove is easy to turn up and down) but it worked out really well! Thanks for the comment. I am just getting this blog started so it makes me happy to get a comment. lol
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm also in Tennesse and I can certainly vouch for the heat here this summer! We had our first cow processed last fall, and will have another processed this fall. I've never thought about doing this. Are there other uses besides soap? I'd love to make soap, just don't have the skills or time.
ReplyDeleteHi Robin,
ReplyDeleteMaking soap is time consuming, but I make mine mostly using the hot processed method which means it is cooked on the kitchen stove or an outside fire. It takes at the most 2 hours to finish a batch. Cold processed soap takes less time but then you have to let it cure for a few weeks and I don't have the patience for that.
You question about what else to do with Tallow is great! I usually use mine for soap so I did a little research on the net and found a great website (although I don't know who authors it or is it reputable) website at www.beeftallow.com --- Anyway, it has many articles about using Tallow in Candle Making, Soap, Cooking, Bird Feed, other Animal Feeds, and biofuels. I read some of the articles and I think I am going to try making some candles. I will post the results!! It didn't look hard! Check it out! I am glad you can sympathize with me about the heat... Today it was a litle overcast and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Have a great day and thanks for the comment.
Robin,
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the processing plant didn't charge me for the fat off my cow. Added bonus!