Tallow cubes - Wagyu F1 x Angus

The Beef: This is 100% grass-fed F1 Wagyu, a first-cross of Full-blood Wagyu over Angus, raised for superior quality and grown with a deep respect for the land. The F1 cross is the sweet spot: it takes the Wagyu's fine intramuscular marbling and pairs it with the Angus frame and the deep, beefy flavour Australian cattle are known for. Wagyu is famous for its fat, and grass-fed Wagyu fat is something special: golden, clean-tasting and soft enough to melt at a low heat.

The Cut: This is pure Wagyu fat, trimmed from across the animal as we break it down and cut into cubes so it's ready to render. Cubing it means more surface area, so it melts faster and more evenly in the pot. Render it down and you get tallow, the cooking fat our grandparents swore by: stable at high heat, rich in flavour, and one of the most satisfying ways to use every part of the beast.

How to Cook It: Keep the fat cold until you're ready to start; cold fat is easier to handle.

To render (wet method): Put the cubes in a heavy pot with a splash of water, about 2–3 tablespoons per kilo, which stops the fat scorching before it starts to melt. Cook uncovered over low heat, around 100–120°C, stirring now and then. Over 2–4 hours the fat will melt and the leftover pieces will turn golden and crisp. Keep the heat low; if the fat starts to smoke or darken, it's too hot.

In the oven or slow cooker: Spread the cubes in a roasting tray at 120°C, or in a slow cooker on low, and let them melt for 3–6 hours, pouring off the liquid fat as it builds up.

When the cracklings are golden and the fat stops bubbling, strain it through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter into clean, dry glass jars. Let it cool, then seal. Grass-fed Wagyu tallow sets a soft, creamy yellow and has a gentler melt than grain-fed.

Tips

• Roast potatoes in tallow at 200°C. Crisp outside, fluffy inside, and better than duck fat.
• Sear steaks in it. Its high smoke point gives a hard crust without burning.
• Don't throw out the cracklings. Salt them while warm and scatter over salads, or eat them straight from the tray.
• Tallow keeps for months in the fridge and a year or more in the freezer. Use a clean spoon every time.
• Making soap, candles or balms? Wet-render twice, straining between, for a whiter, odourless tallow.

A Little History: Before vegetable oils arrived, tallow was the fat of the kitchen. Proper British chips were fried in beef dripping, as were the original McDonald's fries, until the company switched to vegetable oil in 1990. Tallow lit homes as candles, made soap for every household, and greased the axles of the colonial bullock drays that crossed this country. It fell out of fashion in the late 20th century, but cooks are rediscovering it now for exactly the reasons their great-grandparents used it: it's flavourful, it handles heat, and it means nothing from the animal goes to waste.