A Popular Fast Food Chain Is Making The Full Switch To Beef Tallow Fries
Steak 'n Shake announced in a press release that all locations will soon cook its famous shoestring fries in 100% beef tallow. Currently, the restaurant chain fries its potatoes in vegetable oil, but the switch is expected to be completed by February.
Similar to how lard comes from pigs, beef tallow is the rendered fat of a cow that can be used for any cooking application that calls for other solid fats. Its high smoke point also makes it an excellent option for deep frying. Contrary to what the name may suggest, tallow does not taste strongly of beef, so don't expect Steak n Shake's fries to become especially meaty — though there may be a hint of it.
The change comes amid some consumer backlash against the perceived toxicity of vegetable oil and other seed oils. Although seed oils can be unhealthy due to added salts and sugars — which are the primary culprits behind related health concerns like heart disease — there is no evidence supporting the unique toxicity of the oil itself.
Beef tallow fries were a standard in fast food
Steak 'n Shake said in its press release, "When fries were created centuries ago, they were made with tallow." The specific fat used to fry the first plate of French fries is unknown, but some animal fat is likely. Beef tallow is a more traditional cooking fat than modern processed oils. In the 18th century, people in France or Belgium likely used every part of the animal carcass, including tallow, for frying.
Steak 'n Shake is not the first fast food chain to use beef tallow for fries. For its first several decades of operation, McDonald's cooked its fries in 93% beef tallow, which led to a scandal where vegetarian and religious groups sued the fast food giant for being misled. However, an earlier consumer backlash against health concerns of animal fats prompted the chain to switch to a blend of several seed oils — but not without diehard fans calling for the return of beef tallow fries. McDonald's might not be ready to make the switch back, but Steak 'n Shake is ready to answer consumer demand.