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[pmillen]

This horrible-looking mess is the fat trimmed from a New York Strip Loin I cooked a few days ago.

I put it in the pit to render tallow to test it for sautéing and such.  But after rendering I left it sit at room temperature for five days.

Is it safe to use?

[bregent]

I've got jars of tallow left at room temp for over a year. I do seal them in the jars when they are still hot, so they are fairly sterile. But I think you are safe in any event, especially if you are going to use it for frying. Tallow is very saturated so it's stable and doesn't oxidize easily.

[Canadian John]

 There seems to be a trend here relative to time. Brisket, now tallow.  What's next?  We are venturing into new territory.  Does this somehow parallel the upcoming TV series on the History channel

 where out dated food is examined, and yes, tasted?

[pmillen]

But I think you are safe in any event, especially if you are going to use it for frying.

That's kinda' where I shake out.  I seem to recall tallow and bacon grease in dedicated containers on our kitchen counter when I was a kid.

[pmillen]

There seems to be a trend here relative to time. Brisket, now tallow.

   Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

[Brushpopper]

But I think you are safe in any event, especially if you are going to use it for frying.

That's kinda' where I shake out.  I seem to recall tallow and bacon grease in dedicated containers on our kitchen counter when I was a kid.

We always had a jar of bacon grease around when I was a kid.  We'd use it for heating tortillas on a comal and for seasoning the cast iron skillets after cleaning them.  My brother and sister still do the same, but Bonnie won't let me because she says it's unhealthy.  I am fully on the other side of the fence on that idea.  She has no idea that the comal and cast iron skillets I've had since way before we met are such good ones because I seasoned it with lots of hog lard and bacon grease.  They look as smooth as glass and are very non-stick.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Somewhere in the middle of all this are misconceptions by people that only read the highlights of government agency regulations.  Often times, it seems that there are regulations that things need to be cooked to a certain temperature or only allowed to be left in a fridge or on a counter for a certain period of time.  At times, when you dig into the details of those regulations, you realize that under certain circumstances which are not very difficult to achieve the length of time or the temperatures suggested have different variables that contradict the perceived "norm". Unfortunately, the guidance we are normally given doesn't specify there are other variables that may contradict the "averages".  I propose folks should do a little "internet" research to assist them in making a more informed decision.

In any event, the safest stance is to throw something out.  However, you may find after further research that may not be necessary.

[Hank D Thoreau]

Bar-B-Lew, you make a good point. Guidance provided by government agencies, like the FDA, error on the side of caution because they have to assume that folks will not study the issues in enough depth or understand the variables. Temperature and time are important. They work in concert with each other. That is where chemical thermodynamic and kinetics merge. Make it too complicated and folks get sick. This does not stop others, who want to study food preparation and safety, from diving into the details.

[ylr]

Grandma used to keep a canister of "meat grease" next to the stove that had a screen on top to filter out "bits". She added and subtracted to it as necessary, and never refrigerated it.

[Bentley]

Interesting question.

[Ralphie]

Grandma used to keep a canister of "meat grease" next to the stove that had a screen on top to filter out "bits". She added and subtracted to it as necessary, and never refrigerated it.

I don’t know much about tallow or other meat grease but that makes sense to me.

My wife always gets mad when the butter is on counter because it “needs” to stay in the fridge. I disagree and grew up with the butter dish on the counter. She grew up with butter in the fridge.

We’ve discussed it many times. But the discussion usually ends when I remind her that people have been eating butter laying around the house for forever before refrigerators existed.

[ezgoin]

I have one with the strainer of bacon and sausage grease on the stove right now.  When I got it, I had to order it online and have it shipped.  No one stocks them anymore.

[Brushpopper]

My wife always gets mad when the butter is on counter because it “needs” to stay in the fridge. I disagree and grew up with the butter dish on the counter. She grew up with butter in the fridge.

[Bentley]

When we take butter out of the fridge, it stays out of the fridge.  I like these 1lb rectangles of butter from RD.  They will sit out for a week sometimes, and I have not had any projectile vomiting.

[bregent]

We have a French butter keeper. It uses water for as an airlock to keep the butter fresh on the counter at room temps. Unfortunately, we can't use it now because our Lab Retriever eats anything and jump up on our counters.
If you've never seen one, check it out.