Have you ever wondered what happens when you combine the rich, nourishing power of grass-fed beef tallow with the warm, inviting scent of vanilla? It's not just another DIY experiment – it's taking a humble ingredient and making it something truly special.

Homemade vanilla infused tallow is one of those projects that sound complicated but are surprisingly simple to do, plus it creates a versatile, naturally scented ingredient that can level up everything from homemade balms to luxurious body salves.

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Jump to:

What is Tallow?
The Benefits of Tallow for Skin
Why Infuse Tallow with Vanilla?
What You’ll Need
Infusing Tallow With Vanilla Beans
How to Use Vanilla Infused Tallow
Storage and Shelf Life
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What is Tallow?

Tallow is a pure, white fat that remains solid at room temperature and melts at approximately 95–104°F (35–40°C). It is traditionally made from beef suet, which is the mild flavored hard fat located around the kidneys and loins of the animal.

To make tallow, the suet is purified through a process called rendering. This involves gently melting the fat over low heat and straining out any impurities. The liquid fat is then poured into a container to cool and solidify, ready to be stored for future use.

If you're lucky, like we are, to have a close friend running a grass-fed beef operation, you can source high-quality suet and render your own tallow using my detailed guide to rendering tallow here. But don’t worry if that’s not the case—you can often find suet at your local butcher. Alternatively, many health food stores and online shops sell pre-purified tallow that’s ready to use.

The Benefits of Tallow for Skin

Tallow is a powerhouse of hydration and nourishment for the skin, thanks to its unique composition of fatty acids. It closely mimics the natural oils found in human skin, making it an incredibly effective and gentle moisturizer.⁵

Fatty Acids in Tallow and Their Benefits

Oleic Acid
Acting as an emollient, oleic acid helps to lock in moisture and keep your skin feeling soft and supple. It also supports the skin's natural repair processes, making it especially beneficial for dry or damaged skin.¹
Palmitic Acid
Known for its smoothing properties, palmitic acid is both an emollient and a moisturizer. It creates a protective layer on the skin, promoting a soft and even texture while shielding against environmental stressors.^{2 3}
Stearic Acid
With its creamy, waxy feel, stearic acid helps to prevent moisture loss by forming a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This barrier not only keeps skin hydrated but also protects it from external irritants.⁴

Why Infuse Tallow with Vanilla?

Adding vanilla to tallow isn’t just about creating a delightful scent (though that’s a big perk!). Vanilla has its own benefits, making it a perfect pairing for tallow.

Antioxidant Properties: Vanillin (a compound found in vanilla beans) is rich in antioxidants, which can help protect your skin oxidative stress. ⁶
Enhanced Versatility: Vanilla-infused tallow can double as a scented balm, a massage oil base, or even a soap ingredient.

Freshly infused tallow with vanilla beans still in the jar.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Grass-Fed Tallow: Either render tallow yourself or purchase pre-rendered tallow.
Vanilla Bean: Opt for Grade B vanilla beans, although they are less plump and often less attractive, they are much more cost effective and work great in this recipe.

Tools + Supplies

Mason jars or other heat proof, water tight containers
Dehydrator, crock pot, sous vide, or bread proofer

Ingredients required for vanilla infused tallow.

Infusing Tallow With Vanilla Beans

This is the quick overview on the process. Your method may be slightly different based on what option you choose for heating your tallow. I prefer to seal my jars and place them in my sous vide, but you can fill a slow cooker with water, place a kitchen towel on the bottom of the crock and set your jars on there and heat on the "warm" setting. If you have a dehydrator with temperature settings like the Excalibur, you can place your jars in there and set the temp to 130f. Alternatively, I've place jars of tallow in my Brod + Taylor bread proofer and set the temperature to 130f.

Step 1: Prepare Your Tallow

If you’re starting with raw fat, render it first. Chop the fat into small pieces and heat it over low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Strain the liquid tallow through cheesecloth and let it cool. For detailed instructions, check out my guide on rendering tallow here.

Step 2: Infuse with Vanilla

Weigh the Tallow: Weigh 250g of tallow and place it into a pint size (500ml) mason jar.
Add the Vanilla: Split 2-3 vanilla beans lengthwise and toss on top of the tallow, close the jar lid finger tight.
Infuse: Heat the mixture to 130f for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Avoid overheating the tallow.

Vanilla beans in a mason jar with home rendered tallow.

Step 3: Strain and Store

Once the infusion is complete, remove the vanilla pods. Don't stress about removing the vanilla seeds (some call it caviar), it's nearly impossible to do. They will not negatively impact your tallow or finished products.

Keep the jar open and allow your infused tallow to cool and solidify at room temperature before sealing the lid and storing for future use. Your vanilla scented tallow will cool to an opaque, creamy white, slightly darker than regular tallow.

The vanilla seeds will sink to the bottom of the tallow as it cools. If you don't want vanilla seeds in your final product, just scoop from the top, and if you do want vanilla seeds, take a cross section!

Holding a jar of vanilla pods and tallow.

How to Use Vanilla Infused Tallow

Moisturizer: Massage a small amount onto dry skin for deep hydration.
Lotion Bars: Whip up a batch of solid lotion—perfect for gifts!
Lip Balm: Mix with a bit of beeswax for a nourishing lip balm.

Check out my guide on making your own luscious whipped tallow!

Storage and Shelf Life

Store your vanilla-infused tallow in a cool, dark place in an airtight jar. Properly made and stored, it can last up to a year! I keep mine in the back of the garage fridge for when inspiration strikes!

If it develops an off smell or changes texture, it’s time to make a fresh batch.

Vanilla Infused Tallow

Indulge your skin with this luxurious vanilla-infused tallow, a natural moisturizer that hydrates, soothes, and protects. Made with nutrient-rich grass-fed tallow and the warm, calming aroma of vanilla beans, this DIY creation is perfect for nourishing your skin in a variety of projects.

Prep Time5

Active Time8

Total Time8 5

Yield: 250 ml

Author: Allyson Letal - Boreal Bloom Homestead

Equipment

1 Pint size mason jar

Materials

250 g tallow
2-3 vanilla beans

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Tallow

If you’re starting with raw fat, render it first. Chop the fat into small pieces and heat it over low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Strain the liquid tallow through cheesecloth and let it cool. For detailed instructions, check out my guide on rendering tallow here.

Step 2: Infuse with Vanilla

Weigh the Tallow: Weigh 250g of tallow and place it into a pint size (500ml) mason jar.
Add the Vanilla: Split 2-3 vanilla beans lengthwise and place top of the tallow. Close the mason jar finger-tight.
Infuse: Heat the mixture to 130f for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Avoid overheating the tallow. See notes for a variety of ways to heat your tallow and hold it at temperature.

Step 3: Strain and Store

Once the infusion is complete, remove the vanilla pods. Don't stress about removing the vanilla seeds (some call it caviar), it's nearly impossible to do. They will not negatively impact your tallow or finished products.
Keep the jar open and allow your infused tallow to cool and solidify at room temperature before sealing the lid and storing for future use. Your vanilla scented tallow will cool to an opaque, creamy white, slightly darker than regular tallow.
The vanilla seeds will sink to the bottom of the tallow as it cools. If you don't want vanilla seeds in your final product, just scoop from the top, and if you do want vanilla seeds, take a cross section!

Notes

Heating Your Tallow:

Your method may be slightly different based on what option you choose for heating your tallow.

Slow Cooker: Add 3-4 inches of water to the crock of your slow cooker and place a folded kitchen towel on the bottom. Set the jar on top of the towel and heat on the "warm" setting.
Sous Vide: Place sealed jars into a preheated water bath heated to 130f.
Dehydrator: Set temperature to 130f, remove all racks or trays and set jar in the dehydrator. Close the cover.
Bread Proofer: Set temperature to 130f, place jar in the proofer and cover.