Tallow vs Industrial Seed Oils: Old-School Fat, Modern Ritual
Some ingredients are made in kitchens. Others are made in factories.
That’s really where the difference begins.
For generations, tallow was a household staple — familiar, practical, and close to its source. It went from pasture to kitchen, from suet to jar, with only a few thoughtful steps in between. Then, as industrial food systems evolved, a wave of modern oils took its place.
This isn’t about nostalgia.
It’s about how ingredients change when the journey becomes longer, louder, and more processed.
The Rise of Industrial Seed Oils
In the early 20th century, manufacturers began producing oils from cottonseed, rapeseed, and other crops that weren’t traditionally used in home cooking. To turn these dense seeds into something pourable and neutral, they developed multi-step industrial processes: high-heat extraction, refining, bleaching, deodorising.
By the 1970s, these oils were marketed as the clean, modern choice — while simple fats like tallow quietly disappeared from the conversation.
Not because they stopped working.
But because convenience spoke louder.
How They’re Made vs How Tallow Is Made
Industrial seed oils
Often pass through multiple processing stages before reaching the shelf, each step designed to make them stable, pale, and neutral.
Tallow
Is made through slow rendering — gently warming suet, straining it, and allowing it to settle. A handful of simple steps. No industrial shortcuts.
One is designed for scale.
The other is designed for simplicity.
Not Anti-Plant — Just Pro-Proximity
This isn’t a debate about good or bad ingredients.
Plants, seeds, and their oils have their place.
The difference we care about is distance:
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distance from farm to finished product
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distance between what it is and what it becomes
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distance from tradition
Tallow stays close to its source.
It’s recognisable at every step of the process.
And that closeness is exactly why we choose it.
Why Tallow Is Quietly Returning
After decades of being overshadowed, tallow is reappearing — not in loud trends, but in small kitchens, home rituals, and slow-crafted skincare. People are rediscovering what earlier generations already knew: some ingredients don’t need reinvention. They just need care.
Firm or whipped, single or triple rendered — tallow adapts beautifully without being transformed into something unrecognisable.
It’s simple.
It’s familiar.
And it works with the grain of tradition, not against it.
A Gentle Challenge to the Modern Mindset
Some still call tallow “old-fashioned,” as though simplicity is a flaw.
But sometimes the most modern choice is the one that hasn’t changed in a century.
Industrial oils solved a commercial problem.
Tallow solved a home problem — naturally.
There’s value in that.
The Takeaway
Seed oils may fill supermarket aisles, but tallow is finding its way back — jar by jar, kitchen by kitchen, ritual by ritual.
At The Tallow Pantry, we keep the approach simple:
No unnecessary processing.
No complicated distance between source and product.
Just traditional tallow, made with intention.
Sometimes the old ways weren’t just good enough —
they were the most thoughtful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this saying seed oils are “bad”?
No. We’re not assigning morality to ingredients. We’re simply highlighting the difference in how they’re made and why we choose minimal processing.
Why does The Tallow Pantry prefer tallow?
Tallow aligns with our values: simplicity, tradition, minimal steps, and ingredients that stay close to their natural form.
Is this just nostalgia?
Not at all. Tallow lasted through generations because it was practical and versatile — its current resurgence reflects a return to slower, more intentional choices.
Do you use plant oils?
Yes. We use carefully selected botanical oils like jojoba and almond that complement tallow and require minimal processing — very different from highly refined industrial seed oils.
Why is tallow becoming popular again?
People are questioning complexity, convenience, and long ingredient lists. Tallow offers a quieter, simpler alternative.
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