A bit of dripping

Jayne Duveen

For hundreds of years beef dripping, also known as tallow or beef fat, was found in the larder of most households. This was THE fat used for frying, baking, and even smearing on skin as a moisturiser. Not only is beef dripping delicious, it is also very healthy.

Only in recent years has the earthenware pot of beef dripping in the kitchen been replaced with either a highly processed vegetable oil or a highly priced olive oil, transported from far flung countries such as Greece, Spain or Italy. We were encouraged to turn our backs on animal fats as they were considered unhealthy.

Thank heavens it has now been proven that animal fats, when eaten in moderation, are beneficial to health after all. They contain a great source of:

Vitamins A, D, K, E & B12
Choline
CLA
Omega 3

Beef dripping is thought to be good for increasing “good” cholesterol levels and supporting cognition and brain health as well as a strong metabolism.

The highest quality dripping comes from grass fed cattle as opposed to those conventionally raised on grain in feed lots. Grass fed cattle store more beneficial compounds in their bodies compared to those fed on unhealthy diets.

I would like to encourage all our customers to use our beef dripping next time they consider making chips or roasting vegetables. For me, I now find it almost impossible to reach out for any other fat as the flavour is incredible.

I want to take this opportunity, whilst on the subject of animal fat, to tell you about an experience I had with my mother on a recent visit. I discovered her in our kitchen with the telephone pressed to the side of her head as she talked her sister through the experience of dipping a hunk of bread into the fat from the roasting joint that was nestled in the bottom of the pan. It was such a joy to see her enthusiasm and to watch her relive a childhood experience that she and her sister had treasured and nearly forgotten due to this modern trend to move away from animal fats.