Guaranteed Method to Eliminate the Smell of Tallow and Animal Fat from Rice and Soupy Dishes (Like Abgoosht and Stews)

According to the Family Magazine section of Saed News, today, due to growing awareness of the harms of palm-based oils, many people prefer using natural fats like tallow in cooking. Tallow has numerous health benefits, but because of its strong odor, some children and adults may refuse to eat foods prepared with it. In this section on lifestyle and housekeeping tips, we introduce several effective methods to remove the smell of tallow and animal fats from food.

Methods to Eliminate Tallow Odor in Dry Foods Like Rice

If you want to use animal fats such as tallow in cooking rice and eliminate the unpleasant smell, follow these steps:

• Slice a medium-sized onion and fry it in tallow or animal fat.

• Once the onions are browned, strain the oil and pour it over the rice. Fried onions significantly reduce the odor of the fat.

Eliminating the Smell of Tallow and Animal Fat from Stews and Brothy Dishes

Using Onion

As mentioned, frying onions in tallow or animal fat helps eliminate the smell. You can fry chopped or sliced onions in the fat, strain the oil, and then use it to cook stews or dishes like Abgoosht (Persian meat broth).

Using Dried Lime and Spices

Another method is to use dried limes (limoo amani) and aromatic spices like ginger, coriander seeds, and black pepper in your stews and brothy dishes. These help mask or neutralize the tallow’s odor.

Using Cinnamon

Cinnamon is one of the best spices for removing the smell of tallow or animal fat in stews. In dishes like Gheymeh, cinnamon not only neutralizes the smell but also enhances the flavor.

However, for stews like Ghormeh Sabzi or Abgoosht, adding ground cinnamon may alter the flavor. Instead, use cinnamon sticks and remove them after about 30 minutes to eliminate the odor without changing the taste.

If the tallow smell is too strong, place a few cinnamon sticks directly into the fat and heat it in another pot. Once heated, turn off the heat, allow the oil to cool, then remove the sticks.

A Few Tips from the Chef

In response to users asking how to remove the tallow smell from Abgoosht:

• If the meat contains tallow, use plenty of onions and dried lime to counter the odor.

• If the meat is particularly fatty, first boil it in water to release the foam (which negatively affects taste). After a few minutes, pour the contents into a strainer and rinse the meat with warm water. Then proceed to cook with onions, chickpeas, and other ingredients, adding boiling water for cooking.

• If you're using tallow or animal fat for the first time, introduce it gradually into your food to get used to the taste and aroma.

• Avoid using tallow or animal fats when cooking for guests, as the strong smell may not be appealing to everyone.