Why is My Beef Tallow Yellow? Uncover the Truth Behind Tallow's Color

Beef tallow has been used for many centuries for cooking, baking, and even skin care as a source of beef fat. 

But the biggest question about this natural fat that people wonder is, “Why is my beef tallow yellow?”

That is, tallow should generally be a white or pale yellow color, but sometimes it can appear in various shades of yellow or orange. 

It has something to do with your tallow changing color, and you can start to wonder if your tallow is still good or if something went wrong during the rendering process.

In this article, we will look at the key reasons why your beef tallow may have turned yellow and whether that will be a good or a bad thing. 

When you know why tallow is colored, you’ll be better able to evaluate sourcing, processing, and use of this indispensable fat.

Beef Tallow Should Be What Color?

Rendered fat from the fatty tissues of cattle is described as beef tallow. 

Tallow usually does not render into 'ideal' taste, meaning in fact, when it is properly rendered, it is usually a white or off white color. 

However, it’s important to know that most tallow naturally comes in colors (not just yellow) because of various factors.

In general, tallow from grass-fed cattle is more yellow, and tallow from grain-fed cattle is lighter, almost white. 

This is because of the cattle's diet. 

Green plants are the source of the carotenoids, such as beta carotene, which give carrots their yellow color, and grass-fed cattle eat more of them (1). 

The tallow itself has a yellowish tint because these carotenoids end up in the fat of the cattle.

It’s sometimes also referred to as the ‘pure white’ tallow, but yellow tallow by no means represents a poor quality or contaminated product. 

It is just the fat of the animal and the natural pigments that are in the fat. If your beef tallow is an unorthodox color, such as deep orange, it could be worth checking its source or how it was rendered.

Why Is My Beef Tallow Yellow? Key Factors Behind the Color

The reason why beef tallow can look yellow consists of a couple of things. 

They are something that we could explore in more detail.

1. The Cattle’s Diet

The reason primary beef tallow is yellow is due to the cattle's diet. 

The fat of grass-fed beef often contains much more beta-carotene than that of grain-fed cows, since the green plants that the animals eat contain the carotenoids. 

Tallow can be colored with natural pigments such as beta-carotene that can provide it with a yellow or even orange color.

However, cattle fed a grain diet are less able to get to these carotenoids, and their fat is less likely to be yellow or more yellow. 

It is the presence of carotenoids in the fat that causes the yellow tinge in grass-fed beef tallow. 

That is perfectly normal and is nothing out of the ordinary in the fat.

2. The Rendering Process

The color of tallow can depend on how it is rendered or processed. 

Fat is heated during the rendering process in order to separate pure fat from connective tissue or impurities. 

Rendering the fat at high temperature or quickly can make it darker or yellower in color. 

However, a slow, low heat rendering process may also be helpful in producing lighter colored fat.

Rendering is an art, and the color of the tallow may vary from how it’s rendered. 

Generally speaking, the slower the rendering, the more the fat stays light, but not always, as the fat source is originally yellow.

3. Type of Fat Used for Rendering

Many kinds of beef tallow are rendered from the fat of various parts of the cow, especially from kidney fat (suet), which is most prized for rendering tallow. 

Generally, fat from the kidneys is slightly yellower than normal, and this fat can give a more pronounced yellow color to the final product.

In addition, tallow from older cattle usually has a more yellowish color than that from younger cows. 

Fat is more saturated with carotenoids over time.

4. Natural Pigments in the Fat

Beta carotene is one of the key pigments that cause tallow to appear yellow, as was mentioned earlier (2).

This carotenoid is fat-soluble or fat-bonded, so it is bound by the tallow’s fat molecules and gives the tallow its yellow tint.

This is most common in grass-fed beef, but tallow also comes from other sources, and natural pigments contained in the meat may affect the color.

These pigments are not dangerous and are not harmful to consume.

In fact, carotenoids are beneficial antioxidants and therefore they are a very good addition to your diet.

Is Yellow Beef Tallow Bad?

But yellow beef tallow makes many people nervous that it is bad or spoiled, but this is not always the case. 

Tallow is a highly stable and resistant food to spoilage, but there are a few things to remember to prevent it from spoiling (3).

1. Telling if Tallow Has Gone Bad

If you aren’t using the tallow right away, spoiled tallow will not be yellow—it may become rancid or develop an off smell. 

If tallow has gone bad, the following should be considered:

• Smell: Rancid tallow will emit an unpleasant, sour, or off smell.

• Texture: Fresh tallow is usually smooth and firm, whereas spoiled tallow can become grainy or slimy.

• Color: While yellow tallow is common and normal, tallow that turns a dark brown or black may indicate spoilage.

If your beef tallow is yellowish and doesn’t smell or look bad, you are good to go. 

Most likely, the yellow color is a result of natural factors we talked about before.

2. Color vs. Quality

Getting yellow beef tallow doesn’t mean that the fat is poor quality. 

In fact, if you are using tallow from grass-fed beef, then you are getting a nutrient-dense fat full of vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids (4). 

The yellow hue is just a case of the animal’s diet, not that of spoilage.

How come you ask if your tallow is fresh?

A fresh tallow should be smooth and creamy, not waxy and greasy, and have a solid, not a liquid, texture. 

Tallow should also harden when it cools to room temperature, but still be able to be scooped with a spoon. 

The tallow, which is yellow but has a nice, firm texture and a fresh smell, is fine to use.

If you are storing tallow properly, you can keep it in the fridge for a year or more. 

Allow the tallow to cool and store it in your airtight container in a cool, dark place. 

Light and heat are exposed, and tallow can degrade and become sour.

How to Treat Grainy or Soft Yellow Tallow

Other times, yellow tallow can be grainy, or may not harden. 

Tallow that is grainy may have overheated during the rendering process. 

When the fat gets too quickly rendered at a high temperature, the fat separates and solidifies unevenly.

To repair grainy tallow, gently melt it over low heat until the texture is smooth again. 

This might indicate you didn’t render the tallow enough or that the fat wasn’t heated high enough. 

Typically, if it is over-melted and then cooled slowly, it will fix the problem.

Final thoughts

Finally, if your beef tallow is yellow, like mine was, then you have nothing to worry about; it is probably just the result of the animal’s diet and natural pigments. 

Tallow comes in many colors, but what counts is the quality of the fat.

Yellow beef tallow used to be mainly from grass-fed cattle, and it is nutritionally rich and made up of healthy fats that are fit for adding to your cooking, your skin care routine, or both. 

The trick is to find the top-quality tallow and store it as well to keep it fresh.

Don’t allow a yellow hue to dissuade you from this ancient and nutritious fat. 

Using it is not only perfectly natural and safe, but you can use it with confidence once you understand the factors that will influence its color.

Wild Foods also provides a high-quality product if you want to go premium, sustainably sourced beef tallow that follows your true desire for purity, sustainability, and health. 

Explore Wild Foods' selection today!

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FAQs on why Tallow’s Color Isn’t Everything – Focus on Quality

What should beef tallow be?

White to pale yellow beef tallow is possible. The yellow color of grass-fed beef tallow comes from beta carotene, an ingredient of the cow’s diet.

How can I determine if tallow is spoiled?

Sour-smelling, slimy, or grainy in texture, and possibly dark in color, rancid tallow will have a sour smell. The tallow should be fresh, smooth, firm, and neutral or slightly buttery in smell.

Is beef tallow supposed to be white or yellow?

White or yellow tallow can be formed with both animals, depending on the animal’s diet and the rendering process. Yellow tallow is made from grass-fed cows and is natural and safe.

Is yellow fat on beef bad?

There is nothing wrong with yellow fat on beef, in particular beef from grass-fed cattle. The yellow color is usually due to carotenoids such as beta-carotene found in the diet of the animal.

What is wrong with my tallow not hardening?

If your tallow isn’t hardening, that is, if there aren’t solid flakes of tallow ready to press your soap, that could mean that your tallow wasn’t rendered hot enough or that it wasn’t cooled sufficiently. The problem should be solved by remelting and cooling at room temperature.

Related Studies

1. Title: A Review of Fatty Acid Profiles and Antioxidant Content in Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed Beef

USDA-backed research found grass-fed beef contains 7× more β-carotene than grain-fed, leading to yellowish fat due to carotenoid accumulation.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20219103/

2. Title: The Conversion of β-Carotene to Vitamin A in Adipocytes Drives Anti-Obesogenic Effects

NIH study explains β-carotene accumulates in adipocytes via BCO1 enzyme activity, converting it to retinoic acid and influencing fat metabolism.

Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9707038/

3. Title: Beef Tallow Shelf Life and Oxidative Stability

Saturated fats and natural antioxidants in tallow resist oxidation, allowing 6–12 months refrigerated shelf life, per food science analysis.

Link: https://dianesrestaurant.com/how-long-does-beef-tallow-last-in-the-fridge/

4. Title: Fatty Acid Composition of Grain- and Grass-Fed Beef and Nutritional Value

Grass-fed tallow has higher n-3 PUFA, CLA, and antioxidants (e.g., vitamin E) compared to grain-fed, per a gov-reviewed study.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35028571/