The Forgotten Art of Cooking with Fat

Most of us have a soft spot for crispy, golden French fries.

But those French fries are no longer made the way they used to be.

Once fried in rich, stable beef tallow, today they’re soaked in industrial seed oils—like soybean, canola, and corn—that are anything but natural, and anything but safe.

These highly processed oils—rancid before they even hit the fryer—have been linked to inflammation, insulin resistance, cognitive decline, and hormonal imbalance. In fact, a 2018 study in Cell found that linoleic acid, the dominant fat in seed oils, directly impairs mitochondrial function and increases oxidative stress—essentially accelerating aging from the inside out.

It’s no wonder experts now believe seed oils are one of the key drivers of modern chronic disease.

It’s time to return to the traditional fats our ancestors relied on for centuries—tallow, suet, and duck fat. These fats are heat-stable, deeply nourishing, and bring both flavor and function back to your meals.

The Forgotten Art of Cooking with Fat

By Kelley Herring

Tallow: The Kitchen Staple That Built Empires

Tallow—rendered beef fat—was once a pantry essential. It has a high smoke point (~400°F), a neutral flavor, and a long shelf life, making it one of the most versatile fats for cooking.

Nutritionally, tallow is rich in saturated and monounsaturated fats that support hormone production, brain health, and cellular energy. It’s also a source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K2—especially when sourced from grass-fed animals.

Unlike fragile seed oils, tallow doesn’t oxidize at high heat. That means no toxic aldehydes, no inflammatory breakdown products, and no off-flavors.

Try it for pan-frying hand-cut organic potatoes, searing steaks, or roasting vegetables. Once you taste the difference, you won’t want to use anything else!

Suet: The Ancestral Fat You’re Not Eating (But Should Be)

Suet is the hard fat from around the kidneys and loins of cows or lambs. It has a clean flavor and a high melting point—perfect for baking, slow-cooked stews, or traditional meat pies.

What makes suet stand out? It’s one of the richest natural sources of stearic acid, a saturated fat that supports healthy mitochondria, reduces visceral fat, and promotes metabolic flexibility.

One 2018 study in Cell Reports showed that stearic acid increased mitochondrial fusion, leading to better energy output and fat metabolism.

Suet helps your body become more energy-efficient and fat-adapted—an especially powerful ally for more active days.

Duck Fat: The French Secret to Flavor and Health

Duck fat has long been revered in French kitchens for its rich flavor and culinary versatility. But it’s more than just delicious—it’s nutrient-dense and surprisingly heart-friendly.

Duck fat is high in monounsaturated fats (the same kind found in olive oil), making it stable at high temperatures and less prone to oxidation.

Use duck fat to roast potatoes, crisp up chicken thighs, or caramelize onions. It turns everyday ingredients into deeply satisfying gourmet meals, with no extra effort required.

How to Stock Your Fat Pantry

Ready to bring traditional fat back to your kitchen? Here’s what to keep on hand:

• Beef Tallow – For pan-frying, sautéing, and fries
• Lamb or Beef Suet – For rendering, baking, and slow cooking
• Duck Fat – For roasting vegetables, poultry, and finishing dishes
• Marrow Bones & Trimmings – Simmer for broth or render for small-batch cooking fat

These fats are affordable, nutrient-dense, and shelf-stable—especially when sourced from regenerative farms like US Wellness Meats.

Bring It Back to the Kitchen: Recipes with Real Fat

Knowing the science is empowering—but putting it into practice is where the transformation happens!

Traditional fats like tallow, duck fat, and suet don’t just nourish your cells and protect your health… they also bring rich, satisfying flavor back to your kitchen.

Below, you’ll find a few simple, ancestral recipes to help you rediscover the forgotten art of cooking with fat—one crispy fry, flaky crust, and caramelized veggie at a time.

Duck Fat French Fries

Ingredients:

• 3 large organic russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch fries
• 3–4 Tbsp duck fat (or enough to generously coat the pan)
• Sea salt, to taste
• Optional: Fresh rosemary or garlic for flavor

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Toss potato fries in melted duck fat and spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until crispy and golden.
4. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot with garlic aioli or grass-fed burger patties.

Why it works: Duck fat resists oxidation, crisps beautifully, and lends an irresistible flavor—without the toxic load of seed oils.

Grain-Free Tallow Pastry Crust

Perfect for savory pies, tarts, and quiches.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups blanched almond flour
• ¼ cup arrowroot starch (or glucomannan for low carb)
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ cup cold grass-fed tallow
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1–2 Tbsp cold water (as needed)

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, combine almond flour, arrowroot, and salt.
2. Add cold tallow and pulse until crumbly.
3. Add egg and pulse to combine. Add cold water 1 Tbsp at a time until dough forms.
4. Press into a 9” pie dish or roll between parchment paper and transfer.
5. Chill 10–15 minutes before blind baking at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, or until set.

Tip: Fill with sautéed grass-fed beef, pastured eggs, and herbs for a nourishing, no-gluten quiche.

Duck Fat Roasted Root Veggies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups mixed root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, beets), chopped
• 2–3 Tbsp duck fat
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: Fresh thyme or rosemary

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss vegetables in duck fat and season with salt, pepper, and herbs.
3. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning once, until tender and caramelized.

Why it works: Duck fat adds depth and sweetness to root veggies, turning them into comfort food that fuels and satisfies.

Fat Isn’t the Enemy. It’s the Fuel.

For decades, fat was vilified. But it wasn’t fat that was the problem—it was the wrong fats.

Seed oils are modern inventions. Tallow, suet, and duck fat are ancient allies. They support your hormones, fuel your brain, and stabilize your energy. They elevate simple ingredients and protect your cells from damage.

So skip the bottle of canola and reach for a jar of golden tallow. Roast your carrots in duck fat. Crisp your vegetables with suet. Your great-grandmother didn’t fear fat—and neither should you.

A big thank you to Kelley Herring for another riveting article! From tallow to duck fat, Kelley shows us how traditional fats not only enhance flavor but also nourish our bodies. For more fantastic articles like this, be sure to explore the Discover Blog.

References

1. Henehan R, et al. Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Aging. Cell, 2018;175(5):1231–1247.
2. Fallon S, Enig M. Nourishing Traditions. NewTrends Publishing, 2000.
3. Hulbert AJ. On the importance of fatty acid composition of membranes for aging. J Theor Biol, 2005;234(2):277–288.
4. Park J, et al. Stearic acid induces mitochondrial fusion via activation of mitofusin. Cell Reports, 2018;22(2):302–312.
5. Ferretti G, Bacchetti T, et al. Choline and the human brain. Curr Nutr Food Sci, 2008;4(2):117–126.