Imagine the mouth-watering experience of cooking a burger or frying up potatoes in a sumptuous fat rendered from the world’s most coveted cut of meat. If the thought makes your taste buds tingle, you’re not alone – ours are salivating too.
We all know that cooking food in leftover bacon grease or lard (pork fat) can take the flavor to a whole new level. Beef tallow has long been used for the same purpose, adding an unparalleled richness compared to regular butter or cooking oils. But what sets wagyu beef tallow apart?
The Wonder of Beef Tallow
Beef tallow is a rendered fat obtained from cooking down a cut of meat from a cow. It can come from various cuts such as rump roast, steaks, ribs, and even ground beef. Due to the high saturated fat content, beef tallow solidifies at room temperature, boasting a texture akin to butter or lard. It is commonly employed for cooking and frying foods, and some even savor it as a delectable alternative to butter on toast. In fact, it has versatile applications, finding its way into candles, soaps, and moisturizers.
Extracting beef tallow can be accomplished through two methods. The first involves cooking down the fat and collecting it for later use. The second calls for skimming the pure fat off the meat, melting it down, and allowing it to resolidify. However, skimming the pure fat can prove challenging with certain cuts, like the esteemed wagyu beef, renowned for its abundant marbling and intramuscular fat content.
Unveiling Wagyu Beef Tallow
Unlike the typical USDA ratings of Prime, Choice, or Select, wagyu beef’s quality standards stem from Japan. The term “wa” relates to Japanese, while “gyu” refers to cow. However, not all cows can be deemed wagyu. Only those of Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, or Japanese Shorthorn breeds may bear the prestigious name. With Japan banning the exportation of cattle in 1997, the limited supply of wagyu beef in the United States – a mere 221 animals at the time – makes it a rare and costly delicacy, including the tallow extracted from it.
But how does wagyu beef tallow differ from regular tallow? While the extraction process remains similar, wagyu beef tallow is far richer due to the intramuscular fat and the meticulous care invested in producing top-quality cuts of beef.
Embrace the Wagyu Beef Tallow Experience
Wagyu beef tallow can be used just like regular beef tallow. Swap it in as a cooking oil for frying foods, replacing canola, coconut, olive, or avocado oil. The key distinction lies in the incredible richness, buttery texture, and irresistible fatty flavor that will tantalize your taste buds and melt in your mouth.
Some suggest infusing the beef tallow with herbs and aromatics, enhancing its flavor before straining and allowing it to solidify for cooking or spreading on food. However, others argue that wagyu beef tallow, in its pure form, possesses such richness that additional flavorings are unnecessary. The choice is yours when it comes to customizing your wagyu beef tallow experience.
For brisket enthusiasts, wagyu beef tallow serves as an excellent addition for smoking. After trimming the fat from the brisket, slather on the wagyu beef tallow to reintroduce that incredible fatty flavor, leaving the meat juicy and tender.
Where Can You Find Wagyu Beef Tallow?
Thankfully, you don’t have to procure a cut of wagyu beef to get your hands on this culinary treasure. The highly sought-after cooking commodity is readily available for purchase online.
You can find the top-rated wagyu beef tallow on Amazon from South Chicago Packing, priced at around $30 for 42 ounces. Alternatively, Fatworks offers a 14-ounce jar for just under $23. You might also discover wagyu beef tallow at select high-end boutique grocery stores and butchers.
Embrace the exceptional flavors of wagyu beef tallow and elevate your culinary creations to new heights. To learn more about Hook’d Up Bar and Grill, visit Hook’d Up Bar and Grill.