Tallow

Tallow is a <a href="/facts/Rendering_(industrial)/2JRANnr0">rendered</a> form of <a href="/facts/Beef/yAvkT7Nq">beef</a> or <a href="/facts/Mutton/IqmfKI1j">mutton</a> <a href="/facts/Suet/eRNkW013">suet</a>, primarily made up of <a href="/facts/Triglyceride/BQmjv4A0">triglycerides</a>.
In industry, tallow is not strictly defined as beef or mutton suet. In this context, tallow is <a href="/facts/Animal_fat/0NVAUT1p">animal fat</a> that conforms to certain technical criteria, including its <a href="/facts/Melting_point/MY0w0h0k">melting point</a>. Commercial tallow commonly contains fat derived from other animals, such as <a href="/facts/Lard/nzueElhV">lard</a> from <a href="/facts/Domestic_pig/r8rtDBIH">pigs</a>, or even from plant sources.

The solid material remaining after rendering is called <a href="/facts/Cracklings/mQs8FCeU">cracklings</a>, greaves, or graves. It has been used mostly for <a href="/facts/Animal_feed/3pYmdSFB">animal food</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Dog_food/X2KvcFIK">dog food</a>.
In the soap industry and among soap-making <a href="/facts/Hobby/MH1aFd8v">hobbyists</a>, the name tallowate is used informally to refer to soaps made from tallow. <a href="/facts/Soap/99DbjMR5">Sodium tallowate</a>, for example, is obtained by reacting tallow with <a href="/facts/Sodium_hydroxide/xjtdYtq7">sodium hydroxide</a> (lye, caustic soda) or <a href="/facts/Sodium_carbonate/P6RHvIoK">sodium carbonate</a> (washing soda). It consists chiefly of a variable mixture of sodium <a href="/facts/Salt_(chemistry)/lsSKwGpn">salts</a> of <a href="/facts/Fatty_acid/JGg3erIu">fatty acids</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Oleic_acid/NeVuHTbe">oleic</a> and <a href="/facts/Palmitic_acid/wPvdsPHA">palmitic</a>.

Tallow open-in-new

Tallow