# Soap Recipe for Tallow



## crunchy_mama

I found this recipe (I think from someone who posts on here actually)




> Tallow Blend Soap (Kathy Miller)
> 
> 44 oz. beef tallow
> 20 oz. olive oil
> 20 oz. coconut oil
> 12 oz. lye crystals
> 32 oz. cold water
> Temps 110-115
> 
> If I were rendering tallow from scratch again like I used to, this would be my recipe of choice. You can make soap with straight tallow or a blend of tallow and lard, but for the best of all worlds, adding coconut for sudsing and olive for its mildness does a lot for a tallow soap. If you want your bars a bit softer for cutting or are going to be using a fragrance oil with unpredictable results, you can increase the water by two ounces.


I have a lot of home rendered tallow and was hoping to use it for soap, but I've never done it before. I'm looking for as simple as possible. I read about using a stick blender, which I have, but then not to use it for the first time, so I'm confused on what's the best course. 

So, opinions can I use a stick blender for the first batch or not? Also, I'm not a fan of the smell of tallow but I'm wondering if the smell is very strong when it is made into soap?

How do most measure the tallow? Of course before heating it is solid but it is hard to measure hot.


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## crunchy_mama

Also, on reading the instructions it seems the main steps are:

1- measuring all ingredients
2- pour cold water into large container- add lye
3- heat oils to 110-125
4- add lye mix to oils very slowly
5- stir/mix until trace- you can draw a line w/ a spoon and the top starts to dull
6- pour into mold- ( I was thinking of a plastic dishpan which I think would be similiar in size to a kitty litter box- anyone use that?)

Is that the basics?


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## linn

Yes, you can use the stick blender. I would probably try a smaller batch first though. If you decide to make a smaller batch, be sure to run the recipe through SoapCalc or another lye calculator.
I always mix my lye water first so it can be cooling. I have a digital scale. I weigh all my ingredients before starting. Weigh the tallow and coconut oil while they are still solid. I weigh my solid fats and then melt them together. I then add the melted fats to the liquid oils and blend well before adding the lye water.


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## MullersLaneFarm

On rendering tallow (or lard) a lower heat is best. The higher the heat, the more of the animal smell you will get and the more of the natural benefits are burnt off. When I render, I keep the heat in my roaster as low as it will go. When I melt my tallow or lard, I melt it on low heat. 

My soap recipe calls for palm kernel, which has a higher melting point than the lard and tallow I use. I weight my PK separately and start melting that while I weigh the tallow and lard. I then add the tallow and lard to the melting PK. The heat is turned off before all the tallow/lard is melted.

The recipe you listed will make a wonderful soap (although I'd reduce the lye amount to 11.7 oz and the water amount to 27 oz for a 5% superfat with a slightly discounted water amount to help it 'cure' more quickly). You'll get about 7 lb of soap from it. If you cut into 4 oz bars, that is about 28 bars of soap. Like Linn suggested, you may want to scale it back a bit.

If you want to take it through a lye calculator, I'd recommend using percentages so you can plug in the amount of oils you want to use. Currently the recipe calls for over 5 lb of oils. I recommend not going below 3 lb of oils, unless you have a scale that measures in grams ... then be sure to convert your recipe to _*grams*_.

By using percentages of the oils you want to use, you can quickly switch from oz to grams to calculate your soap recipe.

For the recipe you listed, it is
Tallow 52.4%
Olive 23.8%
Coconut 23.8%

You can get other recipes from my soap making page and ask any question about Tallow Soaps on my Yahoo soap making page ... Tallow_Soapers

Linn spoke about a lye calculator. This bit of genius is well known in the soapmaking world, but when you're new to it ... it is a mystery! I know it was for me in 1999. The only internet lye calculator at that time was MMS (Majestic Magic Sage). Since I was in the IT field, I took Excel and made my own lye calculator utilizing the fatty acid makeups of the various oils. Ken, of SoapCalc asked me many years ago if he could use my data for his online calculator featuring the fatty acids. I told him, 'sure, as long as it is free to the soaping community'. 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask on this forum, on the T_S yahoo forum or PM me!


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## Panther

hhrrrrmmmmm......

I believe in local and sustainable. Here in Canada, we don't grow coconuts or olives.

I just finished a batch of homemade soap yesterday and the only ingredients are tallow, water & lye.

It makes excellent hard bars of soap that we have been using for years.

You really don't need to buy the extra stuff to get an all natural, local soap.










Let me know if you want the recipe.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Very true, Panther ... coconut and olive oils aren't local for most, but they certainly are sustainable.

The recipe I listed isn't my standard recipe, but it is a good one that most soapers start with.

My customers like having a soap that lathers well, so I use an oil high in lauric fatty acid to obtain this. All the oils I use in my regular recipe are sustainable oils, some which we raise right here on the homestead.


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## crunchy_mama

Thanks for the info from everyone- I'd really like to do a prepared recipe to start with though. I know those calculators are supposed to be easy and all but like any newbie I'm nervous- I want to go with something known.

Panther- I'd love your recipe- sounds like it would be a good one to start with perhaps. MullersLane- I'm checking out your page as well- thanks!

I don't have any scale as of yet, although I know I need one. Still working on getting the lye, we have a few more local stores to check and then I guess I'll have to order it if nothing else.

Again- thanks for the input- I'm sure it is old hat to all of you but a bit intimidating for me!


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## crunchy_mama

Cyndi- I joined your list- I had no idea there was a big AO-VO debate, who knew? I just wanted to use the tallow as I get the fat free when I get beef and I prefer cooking with lard. Free is good in my book  

I also see a good beginning recipe in your file section, which looks like one I might try as well.


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## MullersLaneFarm

AO & VO isn't such a big deal now, but when I started the group 10 years ago it was a very big debate on forums. Folks that soaped using AO were bashed relentlessly.


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## Maura

Pure olive oil soap needs a stick blender, but once you start adding other ingredients you find it sets up more quickly.

I wouldn't use a stick blender unless you are making a much smaller batch. You want to stir and stir and keep an eye on the clock to see how long you are stirring. Don't slow down, stir fast, but not fast enough to cause splattering. If it is taking too long, put the stick blender in and use it for about three seconds and stop. This may be all you need.


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## MullersLaneFarm

I couldn't imagine making soap without using a stick blender!! Since I use (home rendered) lard as about 30% of my soaping oils, I would need to put the soap pot in a sink of hot water just to keep the oils from solidifying and causing false trace if I would hand stir.

Lard is a wonderful oil to use since it slows trace so much.

I usually have my SB on for about 20-30 seconds, then hand stir for about the same amount of time. These are 10-15 lb (oil only) batches.


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## cmharris6002

> I would need to put the soap pot in a sink of hot water just to keep the oils from solidifying and causing false trace if I would hand stir.


As long at you know what false trace is you wont have a problem. If might seem thick at first but after you begin to stir the lye/liquid into solid at room temperature fats/oils the chemical reaction causes everything to warm up and it liquifies nicely. I almost never use a SB anymore.

ETA: I set solid oils on the back of my stove to soften a bit first, but they are not over 110F typically


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## MullersLaneFarm

cmharris6002 said:


> As long at you know what false trace is you wont have a problem. If might seem thick at first but after you begin to stir the lye/liquid into solid at room temperature fats/oils the chemical reaction causes everything to warm up and it liquifies nicely.


Oh, I know what false trace looks like. I just don't want to stand around for 30 minutes hand stirring! :hobbyhors


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## cmharris6002

Who does! I'm at trace in about 3 minutes but I soap at room temp.


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## MullersLaneFarm

You're doing RT with a milk/lye solution?? AND you're reaching trace in about 3 minutes stirring by hand??

Whoa! You da bomb!


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## cmharris6002

The secret to hand stirring is to use a whisk not a spoon. It might be hard to believe but it makes _all_ the difference! Try it next time you do RT!! You will be amazed!! 

Like you, I've been soaping for over 20 years. I remember sitting on my porch feeling all nostalgic as I stirred my soap for hours. When that got old I started using my kitchen aid mixer. Then stick blenders became all the rage and I thought I'd finally gone to soapmaker's heaven. When another soaper told me to try the whisk I was soooo skeptical as I'm sure you are  But wow!!! That's all I've used now for about three years, I love it.


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## MullersLaneFarm

I'm going to try a whisk next time! Does it matter the style of whisk? I have some that are (for the lack of a better description) a single 'cage' and some that have a 'cage within a cage'. Some of the singles are fat and some are thin.

Oh my! The choices!


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## cmharris6002

Lol!! I just use a cheap $1 store whisk :gaptooth:


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## Tinker

I've used a whisk many time, but never acheive a 3 minute trace with it. I use my stick blender all the time now.


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## cmharris6002

Do you soap at room temperature or do you melt your oils first? If your oils are warm you will not the same results I do. I should mention that I also use a pretty hefty water(milk) discount which could also make a difference.


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## kidsnchix

Panther, I'd like to see your recipe also, I love a good hard bar of tallow soap. Thanks


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## lathermaker

crunchy mama; a good digital scale should be the first thing on your list of equipment to buy. The rest of the stuff...check out the second hand stores, garage sales etc. Stainless steel is your friend! LOL


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## MullersLaneFarm

cmharris6002 said:


> Do you soap at room temperature or do you melt your oils first? If your oils are warm you will not the same results I do. I should mention that I also use a pretty hefty water(milk) discount which could also make a difference.


Hmmm, THOSE both would make a huge difference! About 55% of my oils used are solid at room temp and I use a 65:35 ratio of whole milk:lye (about 25% of oils used). My milk/lye solution rarely goes above 75* F (to keep the color of the soap creamy).

The solid oils at 110*F would have them pretty well melted (which is about where I keep the solid oils when melting them). What ratio of liquid:lye do you use, Christie?? I know using milk I can't go as deep a discount as one would do using water, but I always like to try!!!



lathermaker said:


> crunchy mama;* a good digital scale* should be the first thing on your list of equipment to buy. The rest of the stuff...check out the second hand stores, garage sales etc. Stainless steel is your friend! LOL


I will always recommend the KD-7000. The best price I've found is from Old Will Knott scales (just a happy customer). I know he has an ebay store that you may be able to get a better price, but I just bought direct.

When using any scale for soap or candle making, heed my advice and put it in a 2-gallon zip lock bag when you are using it. It will save you from many 'ooops' situations if you accidently spill oil or lye or essential/fragrance oils on it!

I started with an Escali scale back in 1999. It has been passed on to two other soap makers (always being used in the ziplock bag) and is still in use. I have heard of soap makers going through scales every couple of years because of accidental spills. Save yourself the headache and heartache and use your scale in a plastic bag!


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## lathermaker

MullersLaneFarm said:


> AO & VO isn't such a big deal now, but when I started the group 10 years ago it was a very big debate on forums. Folks that soaped using AO were bashed relentlessly.


Yea, I remember those days! Anybody that used AO's was considered some kind of heathen. The veggie people tried to convince anyone that would listen, that the reason an animal was killed was because of the fat.....uggghhhh


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## cmharris6002

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Hmmm, THOSE both would make a huge difference! About 55% of my oils used are solid at room temp and I use a 65:35 ratio of whole milk:lye (about 25% of oils used). My milk/lye solution rarely goes above 75* F (to keep the color of the soap creamy).
> 
> The solid oils at 110*F would have them pretty well melted (which is about where I keep the solid oils when melting them). What ratio of liquid:lye do you use, Christie?? I know using milk I can't go as deep a discount as one would do using water, but I always like to try!!!


65% of my oils are solid at room temp. I premix all of my oils 300 pounds at a time and store in 50lb buckets. If I can stir it at room temp I don't heat it at all. If the room has been cool and oils are hard I set the bucket in a sink with warm water to liquify them a bit. Honestly, I never take temps anymore. I use milk as 20%-25% of oil weight depending on what decorative techniques I want to use.


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## Puddin

Crunchy_mama..... Thank you for sharing that recipe...
I have just made it, using deer tallow... a 1/5 recipe.
Lovely lovely feeling soap. I'm waiting for it to cure before trying it out.
My b/f is going to get this for Christmas, since it was his deer that contributed! I will keep one bar for myself.
Gloria


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## Charleen

MullersLaneFarm said:


> I will always recommend the KD-7000. The best price I've found is from Old Will Knott scales (just a happy customer). I know he has an ebay store that you may be able to get a better price, but I just bought direct.
> 
> When using any scale for soap or candle making, heed my advice and put it in a 2-gallon zip lock bag when you are using it. It will save you from many 'ooops' situations if you accidently spill oil or lye or essential/fragrance oils on it!
> 
> I started with an Escali scale back in 1999. It has been passed on to two other soap makers (always being used in the ziplock bag) and is still in use. I have heard of soap makers going through scales every couple of years because of accidental spills. Save yourself the headache and heartache and use your scale in a plastic bag!


I have this scale, too and am very pleased. I used it for around 10 years now. I started with a cheapie food scale but it did not weigh in small enough increments. And be sure to weigh in GRAMS! Makes things much simpler.

I learned the plastic bag trick when in high school biology. My teacher had each student do this to our lab scales and it stuck in my head all these years. I'm still in contact with my teacher and I've mentioned it to him. We had a good chuckle.


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