Restaurants all have their own unique dining concepts and recipe secrets that make them stand out from the crowd. It’s almost necessary to keep from getting lost in the sea of eateries that have come and gone. But one in particular has got a couple tricks up its sleeve that have kept it afloat for decades.
Outback Steakhouse, which first came onto the restaurant scene in 1988 with its mouthwatering steaks and Australian-themed menu, has introduced us to wonders such as the iconic Bloomin’ Onion and Bloomin’ Fried Shrimp (which some would say is an even tastier appetizer). It has also been frying dishes such as those delicious onions and shrimp in beef tallow. What exactly is beef tallow, and why should you care? The answer is fairly straightforward: Beef tallow is the rendered fat from a cow. It has a variety of uses, from frying food to making skincare products and candles. When it comes to cooking, beef tallow offers a meaty flavor and a high smoke point that makes it great for frying.
The many benefits of beef tallow
There are some pretty redeeming qualities about this form of fat that make it attractive to restaurants (and help make food taste delicious). To start with, it has a high smoke point of 400 to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. The smoke point of oil is a pretty big deal when it comes to choosing the right oil for the job because it’s the temperature at which fats begin to smoke. Oils that cook beyond their smoke point begin to accumulate carcinogens on the surface of the food, resulting in an unpleasant burnt taste. The high smoke point of tallow, which has a high saturated-fat content, makes it a smart choice for frying foods at high temperatures due to its stability and low oxidation rate.
Beef tallow has a soft and creamy texture similar to butter or coconut oil. It’s prized for its beefy flavor (which takes some of the credit for why McDonald’s french fries are so tasty) that adds a rich and savory depth to foods that are already full of flavor on their own. With so many benefits to cooking with beef tallow, it’s no wonder Outback has found success in this technique — and no surprise that other restaurants are catching on to the secret.
