Carnivores Rejoice: Steak ‘n Shake Turns To Cooking Fries in Beef Tallow for ‘Authentic’ Taste

While previous eras may have seen restaurants of all sizes and descriptions refrain from frying their menu items in beef tallow or lard in favor of vegetable oil and other seed oils, it seems that — at least in some cases — the pendulum is swinging back.

Now, one of the nation’s most iconic fast-food chains, Steak ‘n Shake, has signaled a return to a previous era in American cuisine.

Steak ‘n Shake To Cook Its French Fries in Beef Tallow

Carnivores and fans of old-school flavor will be pleased to hear one piece of news: Steak ‘n Shake will be cooking its french fries in beef tallow moving forward.

“Our fries will now be cooked in an authentic way, 100% beef tallow, in order to achieve the highest quality and best taste,” said Chris Ward, chief supply chain officer for Steak ‘n Shake, as cited by Restaurant Business.

By the time February draws to a close, according to The New York Post, all Steak ‘n Shake locations across the country will be cooking their fries in this time-honored fashion.

On Jan. 16, the brand’s social media representatives took to X to leave a note describing the switchover to followers, closing off the message with a bit of Gen Z slang.

Steak n Shake to Use 100% Beef Tallow. No Cap.

— Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) January 16, 2025

“Steak n Shake to Use 100% Beef Tallow. No Cap,” Steak ‘n Shake posted to X.

The following day, the account returned with a few more details: “By the end of February 2025, all locations will use 100% all-natural beef tallow. If veg oil broke your heart, our tallow will make you fall in love again.”

McDonald’s Shows No Sign of Returning to Cooking With Beef Tallow

The switch to beef tallow may be popular with those polled by Steak ‘n Shake — over 90% of respondents said “yes” to returning to cooking with beef tallow over vegetable oil, though a total sum of votes was not in evidence, according to The NY Post — but it’s also popular with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick for the post of Secretary of Health and Human Services.

“Did you know that McDonald’s used to use beef tallow to make their fries from 1940 until phasing it out in favor of seed oils in 1990?” Kennedy wrote on X on Oct. 21, 2024. “This switch was made because saturated animal fats were thought to be unhealthy, but we have since discovered that seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic.”

For now, however, McDonald’s has shown no indication of returning to this method of cooking its signature fries.