There’s a reason the Bloomin’ Onion is one of the most popular dishes at Outback Steakhouse — according to the Outback Steakhouse website, one out of every four appetizers ordered at the steakhouse chain is a Bloomin’ Onion, to a tune of more than 8 million a year — and that’s because it’s delicious. One of the secrets to the Bloomin’ Onion’s success comes from being fried in beef tallow. McDonald’s originally used tallow to make its iconic french fries, with many claiming that was the reason they were so good.
When McDonald’s first added french fries to their menu in 1955, they were cooked in beef tallow, a trick that founder Ray Kroc learned from a Chicago hot dog stand he used to frequent. That all changed in 1990, when concerns about cholesterol and animal-based fats caused the chain to switch to vegetable oil instead. Unfortunately, those fries just didn’t taste as good (and as it later turns out, may not have had much if any health improvements either from the vegetable oil switch) as those fried in beef tallow.
Why beef tallow works so well for fries and Bloomin’ Onions
Made from rendered (or cooked down) beef fat, beef tallow has a number of uses, from cosmetics to candle-making, though the absolute best use for beef tallow is to use it in place of cooking oils. With a rich, umami flavor, beef tallow is ideal for recipes that call for an extra rich, buttery, beef flavor. Its high smoking point of around 400 degrees Fahrenheit makes it well suited for frying. That’s why McDonald’s used it for their fries, why Steak n Shake recently switched to 100% beef tallow at all locations, and why it’s in the fryer at Outback Steakhouse. Fries and Bloomin’ Onions both benefit from the extra flavor and textural boost from being fried in beef tallow.
That said, Outback Steakhouse doesn’t use beef tallow for everything, and contrary to online rumors, the reason why Outback Steakhouse’s steaks are so flavorful isn’t because of beef tallow (they’re cooked in butter); though if you happen to have any leftovers from your meal, you can turn those steak scraps into easy beef tallow in an air fryer or pan, and use that to make your own restaurant-worthy blooming onion at home.
