Can you use animal fat to cook? The culinary guide to traditional fats

November 9, 2025 •

4 min read

For centuries, rendered animal fats were a staple in kitchens worldwide before processed vegetable oils became widely available. Today, as home cooks and chefs alike reconsider their ingredients, many are asking: Can you use animal fat to cook? The answer is a resounding yes, and modern insights reveal these traditional fats offer rich flavor, excellent heat stability, and unique nutritional profiles.

Quick Summary

Animal fats like tallow, lard, and schmaltz are excellent cooking choices due to their high smoke points and delicious flavor contributions. They are thermally stable and suitable for high-heat methods such as frying, searing, and roasting, with sourcing from pasture-raised animals providing additional benefits.

Key Points

High Smoke Point: Animal fats like tallow and lard are ideal for high-heat cooking like frying and roasting, as they are thermally stable and resist breaking down.
Enhanced Flavor: Tallow adds a rich, savory umami flavor, while lard provides a neutral, flaky texture prized in baking.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins: High-quality animal fats from grass-fed or pastured sources can contain fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Superior Texture: Using animal fat results in exceptionally crispy fried foods and flaky baked goods like pie crusts and biscuits.
Quality Sourcing is Key: The health benefits are most pronounced when fats are sourced from healthy, grass-fed, or pastured animals.
Moderation is Recommended: While views on saturated fat have evolved, health authorities still advise consuming animal fats in moderation, especially for those with heart health concerns.
Versatile and Traditional: Animal fats can be used for frying, roasting, sautéing, and baking, representing a return to traditional, whole-food cooking methods.

The Re-emergence of Traditional Cooking Fats

In the culinary world, what's old is often new again. For decades, highly processed vegetable oils took center stage, marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional fats. However, a growing body of evidence, combined with a renewed interest in nose-to-tail cooking and sustainable practices, has led many to question this conventional wisdom. People are turning back to the classic fats used by their ancestors, rediscovering the superior flavor and functional properties that once made them kitchen essentials.

Animal fats offer a number of advantages, including high smoke points that make them ideal for high-temperature cooking without oxidizing and producing harmful compounds. They also provide a depth of flavor that many chefs find unmatched by plant-based alternatives. Beyond the kitchen, the practice of rendering and reusing animal fat aligns with sustainable, zero-waste principles, honoring the entire animal.

Types of Animal Fats and Their Culinary Uses

Animal fats come in several forms, each with a distinct flavor and texture profile, making them suitable for different culinary applications.

Tallow (Beef and Mutton)

Tallow is rendered fat from ruminant animals like cows and sheep. It is solid at room temperature and possesses a very high smoke point, often between 400-480°F. This makes it an outstanding choice for high-heat cooking methods.

Frying and roasting: Tallow creates exceptionally crispy french fries, roasted potatoes, and vegetables, a tradition once famously used by fast-food restaurants.
Searing: It gives a perfect, savory sear to steaks and other meats.
Baking: Tallow can be used in savory pastries for a richer flavor profile.
Sourcing: Grass-fed tallow is often recommended for a richer nutrient profile.

Lard (Pork)

Lard is rendered pork fat with a softer consistency than tallow. Its smoke point is around 375°F, making it another excellent option for high-heat cooking. Lard's flavor can range from neutral to subtly porky, depending on the source.

Baking: Leaf lard, from around the kidney, is prized for creating incredibly flaky and tender pie crusts and biscuits.
Frying: It produces exceptionally crispy fried chicken and other fried foods.
Sautéing: Used for sautéing vegetables, eggs, and meats.

Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Ghee is a traditional fat, particularly in Indian cuisine, made by simmering butter to remove the water and milk solids. The result is a pure, golden fat with a high smoke point (465-485°F) and a rich, nutty flavor. It is also lactose and casein-free, making it suitable for those with dairy sensitivities.

Poultry Fats (Schmaltz and Duck Fat)

Fats rendered from chickens (schmaltz), geese, or ducks are often used in savory dishes. Duck fat is particularly coveted for its rich flavor and ability to create sublime roasted vegetables. Schmaltz is a traditional ingredient in many Jewish dishes.

Animal Fat vs. Vegetable Oil: A Comparison

While both animal and vegetable fats serve a purpose in cooking, their properties and effects differ. Here is a brief comparison to help you understand the key distinctions.


Feature	Animal Fats (e.g., Tallow, Lard)	Vegetable Oils (e.g., Canola, Sunflower)
Smoke Point	Generally high (375-485°F), excellent for high-heat cooking.	Varies widely, many are less stable at high temperatures, increasing oxidation risk.
Thermal Stability	High. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are more resistant to oxidation.	Lower. Higher polyunsaturated fat content makes them more prone to oxidation and rancidity.
Flavor Profile	Rich, savory, and deep, enhancing the taste of foods.	Often more neutral, with flavor depending on the oil type.
Saturated Fat	High content. Historically linked to heart disease, but modern research suggests the relationship is more complex.	Generally lower, depending on the specific oil. Contains unsaturated fats, which are often recommended.
Nutrients	Good source of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and fatty acids like CLA, especially from grass-fed animals.	Contain antioxidants like Vitamin E (e.g., olive oil), but may be stripped in processed versions.
Best Use	High-heat frying, roasting, searing, and baking for flaky textures.	Lower-heat cooking, sautéing, salad dressings, and baking.

The Nutrition and Health Debate

For many years, animal fats were viewed unfavorably due to their high saturated fat content. However, modern nutritional science is challenging and re-evaluating the long-held dogma that all saturated fat is harmful. Some types of saturated fat, like stearic acid found in tallow, may have a neutral effect on cholesterol. Furthermore, high-quality animal fats from healthy, pasture-raised animals offer additional benefits.

Nutrient Density: Fats from pastured animals contain more fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and beneficial fatty acids like Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA).
Better Omega Balance: Animal fats from grass-fed sources have a more favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio compared to fats from grain-fed animals.
Source Matters: The quality of the animal's diet and living conditions directly impacts the fat's nutritional content and safety.

Despite these benefits, it is important to remember that animal fats are calorie-dense and still contain saturated fat. Health experts continue to recommend moderation, especially for individuals with existing heart conditions or high cholesterol. Choosing high-quality, sustainably sourced animal fats is a key aspect of maximizing their nutritional value.

Conclusion: A Balanced Approach to Cooking Fats

Can you use animal fat to cook? Yes, and for a variety of culinary reasons—superior flavor, ideal texture, and excellent heat stability. While not a cure-all, incorporating high-quality animal fats like tallow, lard, and ghee can add delicious dimension to your cooking, especially for high-heat applications like frying, roasting, and searing. However, the best approach to dietary fats is balance and moderation. Integrating a variety of fats—from both high-quality animal sources and healthy plant-based options like olive oil—is a smart strategy. Always prioritize sourcing, choosing fats from well-raised, healthy animals, and consider your individual health needs when deciding what's right for your kitchen. You can consult health organizations for current dietary guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answer is complex and depends on the specific fats and how they are used. Animal fats are more thermally stable and resist oxidation at high heat, which can be a health advantage. However, they are high in saturated fat, and while research on saturated fat is evolving, health experts still recommend moderation. Many vegetable oils are high in unsaturated fats, which are considered heart-healthy, but processed versions can contain unhealthy compounds.

Lard is rendered pork fat, while tallow is rendered beef or mutton fat. Lard is generally softer at room temperature, and a higher grade (leaf lard) is preferred for baking due to its neutral flavor. Tallow is firmer and has a higher smoke point, making it ideal for deep-frying and high-heat roasting.

Yes, animal fats are excellent for high-heat cooking. Fats like tallow and ghee have high smoke points, meaning they can be heated to high temperatures without smoking or breaking down into harmful compounds. This makes them superior to many vegetable oils for frying, searing, and roasting.

Animal fats add a rich, savory, and deep flavor to food that is distinct from vegetable oils. Tallow provides a hearty, meaty flavor, while well-rendered lard is often more neutral. Duck fat, for example, is prized for its rich flavor that complements vegetables.

Properly rendered animal fats have a long shelf life. Tallow and ghee are often shelf-stable for months in a cool, dark pantry. Lard and poultry fats, however, are best stored in the refrigerator or freezer to maintain freshness. Always keep rendered fat in an airtight container.

Yes, rendering your own fat at home is a simple process. It involves slowly heating chopped-up fat (such as beef suet or pork fat) over low heat until it melts. The liquid fat is then strained to remove any solids before cooling and solidifying.

Animal fats are high in saturated fat, and while research is challenging past assumptions, consuming them in excess can still be a risk factor for heart disease. It is important to consume animal fats in moderation and, if you have pre-existing conditions like high cholesterol, to consult a healthcare provider.

No, animal fat is derived from animal tissues and is not suitable for vegetarians, vegans, or those who avoid certain animal products for religious or cultural reasons.

Fast-food chains like McDonald's switched from animal fats like beef tallow to processed vegetable oils in the 1990s, largely due to public health concerns at the time linking saturated fat to heart disease. The switch also coincided with the development of cheaper, mass-produced vegetable oils.