10 Tips to Boost Your Summer Grilling Game with Tallow

by Chef Greg Hozinsky of Coast Packing Company

As summer stretches on, backyard grilling remains one of the best ways to keep the kitchen cool and bring friends and family together over sizzling steaks, charred veggies, and perfectly seared burgers.

This year, the revival of beef tallow and lard is helping every home chef elevate their grilling game with richer, deeper flavors.

“The secret is out about tallow, and I love seeing home chefs using animal fats to bring out the flavors and textures you can’t achieve with standard seed oils,” said Chef Greg Hozinsky of Coast Packing Company, the leading supplier of animal fat shortenings in the Western U.S. “Its rich flavor, high smoke points, and ability to create that perfect caramelized crust or char is what makes tallow the must-have ingredient for grilling, baking, frying and more.”

Whether you’re grilling ribeye, vegetables, or experimenting with creative techniques, tallow can bring out richer flavors, better textures, and more consistent results. As more chefs and foodies embrace these traditional fats, now’s the perfect time to experiment at your next cookout.

Here are Greg’s ten essential tips for using beef tallow and lard to take your grilling to the next level:

1. Layer Fats into Meats: For melt-in-your-mouth flavor, brush fats directly onto food (not just the grill). This helps prevent sticking and boosts char, color, and caramelization.
2. Pay Attention to Temperature Control: Use the right heat for each cut. Thin cuts need high heat for quick caramelization, while thicker cuts benefit from lower, controlled heat to balance char and doneness.
3. Reverse Sear with Tallow or Lard for Thicker Cuts: Cook thick cuts over low heat until rare. Then remove them from the grill and finish with a high-heat sear to achieve a perfect char while maintaining a medium-rare interior.
4. Grill Veggies in Fat for ​Better Flavor and More Char: Sear vegetables with a fat “base layer” for increased flavor and char.
5. Create Fat-Infused Marinades, Compound Butters, and Sauces: Mix tallow with butter for a next-level compound butter. Finish grilled meats by placing the compound butter on top of the meat right before serving.
6. Render Your Own Fat: Save beef trim in the freezer and render it for fresh, flavorful fats that make your grilling even better.
7. Use Fats to Finish Meats: Use a little fat during the resting period to prevent steak from drying out (for example, when smoking brisket). Fats can also be a great addition during the wrapping stage, and any leftover drippings can be poured over when serving.
8. Try Digital Grilling Tools: Consider using a Bluetooth thermometer to build confidence on the grill. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new kitchen and grilling technology.
9. Make Tallow Candles or Smoke Bombs: Make a tallow candle and pair it with rustic French bread or ciabatta for dipping.
10. Experiment & Have Fun: Combine fats, rubs, and grilling techniques—make it your own.

“A little bit of tallow can transform your food, and once you try it, you’ll taste the difference,” added Chef Greg.