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Beef tallow French fries are next-level delicious. Made with just potatoes, tallow, and salt, they are simple, wholesome, and better than any drive-thru.
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If I had to pick just one food to live off of for the rest of my life, I’d end up in a total dilemma trying to choose between sourdough bread or French fries. I live for simple comfort food.
But if I had to pick one “junk food,” hands down, it would be French fries.
Luckily, beef tallow French fries aren’t junk food at all!
Even though I still think fast food fries taste good, they are made with oils I don’t like eating or feeding my family.
Thankfully, you can make homemade fries that put the drive-thru variety to shame.
The secret ingredient? Beef tallow.
Without a doubt, beef tallow French fries win the prize for the best homemade fries ever.
Of course, we enjoy them with burgers on sourdough buns. But they are also delicious with other comfort food favorites like sourdough fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, or hot honey meatloaf.
I also love dipping them in homemade French mayo. Or you can use the curds from homemade cottage cheese and a little brown gravy to make a delicious homemade poutine.
For any of you Marylanders out there (I was born and raised there), these are the kind of fries you drench in Heinz malt vinegar and cover with Old Bay.
Why You’ll Love Beef Tallow French Fries
Delicious: In my experience, the absolute best homemade French fries are made in beef tallow.
Simple Ingredients: Unlike drive-thru fries or the kind from the freezer section, these beef tallow fries are made with just three ingredients: potatoes, tallow, and salt.
Kid-Approved: Kids like most fries, but these fries are my daughter’s favorite. She even “feeds” them to her stuffed animals. It’s so sweet!
What Is Beef Tallow?
Beef tallow is rendered beef fat. Though it fell out of popularity over the last few decades, it has recently made a welcome comeback in many kitchens.
It is shelf-stable when rendered and stored correctly (though we keep ours in the fridge). Plus, it’s an excellent fat for frying because it has a high smoke point at 480° F.
Beef tallow is an old-fashioned ingredient that your grandmother or great-grandmother probably used. And it’s a throwback to the foods of yesteryear.
In fact, from 1940 to 1990, McDonald’s cooked their fries in beef tallow until switching to an oil blend.
Cooking with beef tallow gives fried foods—like sourdough donuts and French fries—a rich flavor you just can’t get from other oils.
Ingredients
Potatoes: Russet potatoes are usually the go-to for fries, but you can also use low-moisture potatoes like Yukon Gold.
Beef Tallow: Use high-quality beef tallow. We get ours from Azure Standard.
Salt: I use coarse kosher salt, but any salt will do.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
Dutch Oven: Use a large Dutch oven or any deep pot suitable for deep frying. Not sure how to fry in a Dutch oven? Check out my stovetop Dutch oven guide.
Slotted Spoon or Tongs: To safely remove the fries from the hot tallow, you’ll need a slotted spoon or tongs.
Fry Thermometer: The secret to a perfect fry is the temperature. I recommend using a fry thermometer to ensure your oil is up to temp.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices.
Optional: Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes. This can yield crispier fries (though I prefer mine unsoaked).
Step 2: Add the beef tallow to a cast iron Dutch oven or a deep, heavy-bottomed pan. Preheat the tallow to 350°F.
Step 3: If you soaked the potatoes, drain them and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Working in batches, carefully place the potatoes in the preheated beef tallow. Fry for 5-10 minutes or until they are golden brown.
How long it takes depends on how thick they are cut and how crunchy you like them.
Step 4: Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the fries and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Step 5: While they are still piping hot, sprinkle them with salt to taste.
Step 6: Serve right away while they are still hot, crispy, and delicious!
Tips for Success
- Depending on how many fries you are making, you can use more or less tallow as needed.
- Don’t overcrowd the potatoes in the tallow, or they will stick together and cook unevenly. Small batches will yield better results.
- Heat the tallow to 350° F. The temperature will drop when you add the potatoes. So it’s important to ensure it is hot enough from the start.
- Salt the fries while they are still hot. The steam will partially dissolve the salt, making it adhere (and taste) better.
- After cooking, let the tallow cool. While it is still liquified (but safe to handle), strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Then, store it in the fridge for next time.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Beef tallow french fries are best served and devoured right away (sorry, not sorry, haha!).
Leftovers don’t store well, but if you have some stragglers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
To reheat, warm them in at 400° F oven or toss them in an air fryer.
FAQs
What I like about beef tallow fries is that they taste like…potatoes. They have a lovely fried flavor without an overwhelming fatty taste. The beef tallow is subtle and delicious.
Definitely! While the beef tallow is still liquified but safe to handle, strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Then, store it in a Mason jar in the fridge for next time.
I haven’t tried this, but it’s possible you can lightly brush the potatoes with liquified beef tallow and pop them in the air fryer. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Sure! Any fat suitable for deep frying can be used to make French fries.
Soaking the potatoes removes the excess starch and can yield crispier French fries. It can also prevent the potatoes from oxidizing while you fry in batches.
This step is not necessary, though. I actually prefer to make fries without soaking them.
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Beef Tallow French Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-5 Russet potatoes
- water, optional
- 4 cups beef tallow
- coarse kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Optional: Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes. This can yield crispier fries (though I prefer mine unsoaked).3-5 Russet potatoes, water
- Add the beef tallow to a cast iron Dutch oven or a deep, heavy-bottomed pan. Preheat the tallow to 350°F.4 cups beef tallow
- If you soaked the potatoes, drain them and pat them dry with a paper towel. Working in batches, carefully place the potatoes in the preheated beef tallow. Fry for 5-10 minutes or until they are golden brown. How long it takes depends on how thick they are cut and how crunchy you like them.
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the fries and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- While they are still piping hot, sprinkle them with salt to taste.coarse kosher salt
- Serve right away while they are still hot, crispy, and delicious!
Notes
- Depending on how many fries you are making, you can use more or less tallow as needed.
- Don’t overcrowd the potatoes in the tallow, or they will stick together and not cook evenly. Small batches will yield better results.
- Salt the fries while they are still hot. The steam will partially dissolve the salt, making it adhere (and taste) better.
- After cooking, let the tallow cool. While it is still liquified (but safe to handle), strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Then, store it in the fridge for next time.