What is ox-tallow?

Ox-tallow or beef tallow is a hard white fat obtained from around the kidneys and loins of cattle. Tallow has been used for candles, to make soap, for frying foods and as a base for ointments and cosmetics. Some people continue to use it in such applications, but since the mid-1900s, vegetable-derived oils such as palm, coconut, canola and soybean oil are more commonly used for these purposes.

Although it is still often used in the preparation of Indian sweets and snacks such as ghee and puri, due to its high saturated fat content, ox-tallow is also used in a variety of other products such as lubricants and biofuel.