Beef dripping is the secret weapon for home cooks in the know and many a renowned chef. It has a multitude of purposes: use it in place of other oil for stir-frying; basting roasts and leaner cuts adds lots of flavour and moisture; adding a little when baking keeps cakes moist; and nothing gets roast potatoes as crispy as a good lashing of beef fat.
Dripping is made from rendered pork or beef fat, and is considered superior for its deep, meaty flavour. It is smooth and creamy when solidified—almost like butter—and liquid gold when it's freshly rendered.
Beef dripping is easy to make, and can be made in a big batch and saved for everyday cooking to pack a flavourful punch to almost dish that requires a little oil or fat. To make dripping, you'll need fatty cut offs from beef which you can buy from butchers and wet markets. Alternatively, you can save the cut offs from roasts and steaks over a period of time, storing them in the freezer till you've accumulated enough.
Adding some spices and aromatics to the pan during the rendering process lends even more flavour to the dripping. Here, we've used star anise and cinnamon, though you could also try herbs like rosemary or tarragon, which pairs well with beef.
Elevate your everyday fried rice with a good helping of dripping. Here's the recipe for making your own beef dripping, and a hearty Tajima beef dripping fried rice from Chopsuey Cafe.
Dripping is made from rendered pork or beef fat, and is considered superior for its deep, meaty flavour. It is smooth and creamy when solidified—almost like butter—and liquid gold when it's freshly rendered.
RECOMMENDED READING: Recipe: Beef Butter From London Hawksmoor's Richard Turner
Beef dripping is easy to make, and can be made in a big batch and saved for everyday cooking to pack a flavourful punch to almost dish that requires a little oil or fat. To make dripping, you'll need fatty cut offs from beef which you can buy from butchers and wet markets. Alternatively, you can save the cut offs from roasts and steaks over a period of time, storing them in the freezer till you've accumulated enough.
Adding some spices and aromatics to the pan during the rendering process lends even more flavour to the dripping. Here, we've used star anise and cinnamon, though you could also try herbs like rosemary or tarragon, which pairs well with beef.
Elevate your everyday fried rice with a good helping of dripping. Here's the recipe for making your own beef dripping, and a hearty Tajima beef dripping fried rice from Chopsuey Cafe.
Render beef fat in a hot pan with aromatics to make beef dripping
For the beef dripping:
1. Remove any gristle or sinew from the reserved fat.
2. Place the pieces of fat, two star anise seeds and a cinnamon stick in a frying pan and begin frying slowly. The fat will start melting away into the pan. Remove the spices.
3. Leave the beef dripping to cool and it’ll be ready for use immediately. Store the rest in a covered glass jar in the fridge and it'll keep for months.
1. Remove any gristle or sinew from the reserved fat.
2. Place the pieces of fat, two star anise seeds and a cinnamon stick in a frying pan and begin frying slowly. The fat will start melting away into the pan. Remove the spices.
3. Leave the beef dripping to cool and it’ll be ready for use immediately. Store the rest in a covered glass jar in the fridge and it'll keep for months.
Tajima Beef Dripping Fried Rice
Recipe courtesy of Chopsuey Cafe
Makes 1 portion
Ingredients
240 grams cooked jasmine rice
100 grams Tajima Wagyu beef
60 grams Thai baby garlic
100 grams peeled garlic
5 grams white peppercorn
5 grams Thai basil
10 grams Thai fish sauce
2 Tablespoons beef dripping
Method:
1. Allow rice to cool once it is cooked. Ideally, store in the fridge overnight.
2. Slice beef into thin steaks, approximately 5mm in width. Marinate with a lug of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Heat a griddle pan to a medium-hot heat. Sear the steaks on both sides for 1 minute until it’s slightly charred.
4. Heat beef dripping in wok over medium heat and stir-fry the garlic and peppercorn for about 1 minute.
5. Add the cooked rice and Thai fish sauce. Stir-fry until everything is piping hot and cooked through before stirring in Thai basil. Toss to combine.
6. Julienne the steak and lay on top of the fried rice.
7. Sprinkle all garlic on top for garnishing.
Recipe courtesy of Chopsuey Cafe
Makes 1 portion
Ingredients
240 grams cooked jasmine rice
100 grams Tajima Wagyu beef
60 grams Thai baby garlic
100 grams peeled garlic
5 grams white peppercorn
5 grams Thai basil
10 grams Thai fish sauce
2 Tablespoons beef dripping
Method:
1. Allow rice to cool once it is cooked. Ideally, store in the fridge overnight.
2. Slice beef into thin steaks, approximately 5mm in width. Marinate with a lug of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Heat a griddle pan to a medium-hot heat. Sear the steaks on both sides for 1 minute until it’s slightly charred.
4. Heat beef dripping in wok over medium heat and stir-fry the garlic and peppercorn for about 1 minute.
5. Add the cooked rice and Thai fish sauce. Stir-fry until everything is piping hot and cooked through before stirring in Thai basil. Toss to combine.
6. Julienne the steak and lay on top of the fried rice.
7. Sprinkle all garlic on top for garnishing.
