Wagyu Beef Tallow

[Djmthr33]

My RecTeq RT-700 should be delivered this Friday. LFG! So question for the veteran smokers out there.....I've seen Wagyu beef tallow being used when wrapping a brisket...but has anyone used wagyu beef tallow as a binder before seasoning? I feel like this is a good practice. Yes, no, maybe?

 

[C. Keeper]

My RecTeq RT-700 should be delivered this Friday. LFG! So question for the veteran smokers out there.....I've seen Wagyu beef tallow being used when wrapping a brisket...but has anyone used wagyu beef tallow as a binder before seasoning? I feel like this is a good practice. Yes, no, maybe?

Won't the tallow wash off rub when heated?

 

[Djmthr33]

Won't the tallow wash off rub when heated?

That's a good call out. But I think it would wash off if you laid it on thick, but with a nice thin layer just enough for the rub to adhere may work. I may experiment with it and see who if shakes out.

 

[kstone113]

I use beef tallow when doing brisket. I wait till I wrap in butcher paper. I like to heat it up to a liquid state and put some on the paper where I put the brisket and some on top of the brisket but don't want to mess up the bark so I'm careful.

You can make your own beef tallow but isn't too expensive at the store and I think it's worth it when doing the butcher paper wrap.

I haven't used as a binder. I usually don't bind at all but if I do, I just use like olive oil or whatever I have.

 

[Pacman]

I know people that run soft butter and herbs on things like a prime rib, but if your goal is to get smoke into the meat, I wouldn't add tallow before starting my cook. I've put too much rub alone on things and had poor smoke penetration. I'd imagine rubbing tallow all over cold meat would seal out a lot of smoke.

 

[BradBQ]

Ive injected a choice packer with tallow for a holiday and spread the excess as a binder. If you dont keep it to a very thin layer, it will come right off. I would recommend using something like mustard and save the tallow for the wrap (or inject if youre feeling frisky). The tallow can be better used in another way than as a binder.

TLDR; Tallow as a binder is more a hinderance than a benefit.

 

[Djmthr33]

I know people that run soft butter and herbs on things like a prime rib, but if your goal is to get smoke into the meat, I wouldn't add tallow before starting my cook. I've put too much rub alone on things and had poor smoke penetration. I'd imagine rubbing tallow all over cold meat would seal out a lot of smoke.

Makes a lot of sense! Thanks for the insight!

 

[Djmthr33]

Ive injected a choice packer with tallow for a holiday and spread the excess as a binder. If you dont keep it to a very thin layer, it will come right off. I would recommend using something like mustard and save the tallow for the wrap (or inject if youre feeling frisky). The tallow can be better used in another way than as a binder.

TLDR; Tallow as a binder is more a hinderance than a benefit.

Thanks for the advice, Brad!

 

[Djmthr33]

So the general consensus is NO beef tallow for a binder, but use it during the wrap portion of the cook. Glad I asked! Would hate for my first brisket cook to turn out trash. LMAO. Thanks, guys! Appreciate you!

 

[sdynak]

Would hate for my first brisket cook to turn out trash.

Is that really even possible? I guess my standards are quite low.. I'll eat just about anything that comes off the smoker unless it was burned to a crisp LOL.

Good luck with it.. good advice above.

 

[Jim6820]

Is that really even possible? I guess my standards are quite low.. I'll eat just about anything that comes off the smoker unless it was burned to a crisp LOL.

Good luck with it.. good advice above.

At the price of brisket these days, I’m with @sdynak on this. Pretty hard to make brisket totally inedible. There’s always the chili and hash options.

 

[DenStinett]

If you put the Tallow on (lightly) as a Liquid, I don't see why it wouldn't work .... never thought about it
Have never used a "Binder" in any of our Cooks

(this one's for CK)
Wouldn't the 3 Rings and the Plastic Cover cause an issue ? ! ?

 

[C. Keeper]

If you put the Tallow on (lightly) as a Liquid, I don't see why it wouldn't work .... never thought about it
Have never used a "Binder" in any of our Cooks

(this one's for CK)
Wouldn't the 3 Rings and the Plastic Cover cause an issue ? ! ?

When I've tried it, the liquid solidifies on the cold meat YMMV

 

[Roaniecowpony]

I've injected with warmed up Wagyu tallow. I think I posted that on this forum a while back. I got the idea from the "Sous Vide Everything" videos. I think it acts a bit like interstitial marbling. It was moist and had good flavor.

I have my doubts that it does much when wrapping other than seal the paper sooner. While I have a large roll of pink butcher paper here, I've still stuck with foil. That was reinforced after taking Harry Soo's class, where he recommends foil over paper.

 

[BowDown]

I used South Chicago Packing Wagyu Beef Tallow on a brisket a few months back. I used mustard as a binder then smoked the brisket. I melted some tallow in a pan in the smoker and brushed it on before the wrap. I wasn't impressed with the result. The brisket was definitely more moist (from tallow) but it changed the flavor, tasted like you were eating really fatty brisket.

I may experiment with it again but I'd use way less and just brush some on vs what you see them doing on youtube

start at 8 min for the results

Mad scientist