Fats, Fats, Where It's At

I've been searching for a good fat source for a while now. At first I was using 100% grassfed beef marrow, but it was just too precious a commodity. I couldn't keep it in stock and it was expensive.

I had to start using cream instead. I have been able to get 100% grassfed and grass-finished cream with A2 casein, from heritage breeds, and at least for most of the year, that seems easy to procure and not too expensive. I've been making clotted cream with it, which is fattier than just cream. It involves heating the cream over a long period, then cooling it, and retaining the thickened fatty cream that rises to the top. I save the thinner remnants to make yogurt and frozen yogurt for a friend. The clotted cream is just astonishingly delicious and works well with every kind of meal!

I'd still rather not use dairy, if possible. I feel that it might be aggravating to my keratosis pilaris (bumpy skin), and therefore might possibly be inflammatory. Luckily, knock on wood, it has not caused any gut issues, which I normally have with cultured dairy.

I'd like to try external fats (as opposed to internal fats such as suet/kidney fat). External fats have a different melting point and fatty acid profile. However, I've been having trouble finding external fat. So I'm considering trying suet again, and a different cooking process!

Previously when I tried suet, I would render in the crock-pot and strain, making tallow. The problem is that tallow is not very good for eating as a side with a meal! It is extremely waxy and unpalatable. [It can be used for making soaps and candles though!]

But I have another idea for suet! Instead of rendering it, what I might try is to just cut it into strips and roast it in the toaster oven to eat on the side of a meal. When I've tried eating the fat from beef heart (which is also internal fat, like suet), it has been excellent that way! It gets crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. So it just might work!

I'll have to ask for some from my local farmers and give it a try!

P.S. You can see some of the internal fat on the beef heart slices in the photo below. It is soft and delicious when reheated in the toaster oven:

Grassfed beef heart with homemade clotted cream and smoked salt