Ah, poor misunderstood fat... for years it has been lambasted by the diet and health community, villainized even. But recent years have seen a dramatic sea change for fat. Now, fitness fanatics, dieters, and even medical professionals are paying attention to the health benefits and importance of good fats in one's diet.
That said, not all fats are created equal. A cheap hydrogenated vegetable oil confers far fewer of the benefits than 100 percent grass-fed beef tallow does, for example. And those cheap cooking oils are laden with trans fats, which are not healthy.
Fatworks foods is a company on a mission: to bring high-quality traditional lards and fats to the masses.
Ready for a fattitude adjustment? Here we review Fatworks' range of fatty goods and services, plus look at what you need to know about these premium products.
Fatworks At A Glance
- Best Match For: Anybody searching for top-quality organic, grass-fed, or pasture-raised lards, tallows, ghee, and poultry fats.
- Commitment Level: No commitments - Order at any time
- Availability: All 50 states
- Value: $14.95-$18.50/ 14-oz jar; Shipping fees vary depending on the location
- Type: Premium organic, grass-fed, or pasture-raised animal cooking fats
How Fatworks Works (In a Nutshell)
Fatworks is an online fat shop. Just head to the company's website and browse its selection of premium, traditional fats. The site is easy to navigate and there's a wide selection of products to choose from, here are a few examples:
Product sizes vary. You can get "the bucket", which is one gallon of grass-fed beef tallow, or smaller jars of 7.5 and 14 ounces in different types of fat.
If you can't decide, or you'd rather not commit to a big amount until you've tried cooking with it, Fatworks foods also sell one-ounce mini versions of each product.
In addition to the individual products, there's a range of combo deals, which offer you more bang for your buck. The largest pack contains eight individual jars of different fat types.
And for fat lovers who can't get enough of the stuff, even enough outside of mealtimes, there's Fatworks mugs, aprons, and even some underwear labeled "fat is where it's at"!
Delivery & Shipping
Once you've made your order and completed your payment, you'll get a notification letting you know how long until your delicious fatty fat products land on your doorstep. This can vary depending on your location and the products you chose, but the company ships within two to three days as a general rule.
While fat fans across the US will be pleased to note that Fatworks ships throughout the nation, international orders are off the table for now. Canadians can still get their saucepans on some of the fine traditional fats on offer, but get in touch with the company first to organize shipping (at an extra cost).
What You Can Expect From Your Fatworks Fats
You can expect high-quality traditional fats of the kind gourmet chefs have been using for years. Additionally, all but one of Fatworks' products come from animals that are pasture-raised. The only exception to this is the "cage-free duck fat."
Adding this product to their suite of fats was clearly a pain point for Fatworks as the company has gone to great lengths to explain their reasoning behind a non-pasture-fed option.
All of the fats on offer, be they lard, tallow, or ghee, contain no artificial trans fats.
The company does not process, smoke, hydrogenate, or alter its fat in any way either.
What you're receiving is a premium, natural product rendered in such a way as to preserve its goodness.
Furthermore, the company sources its animals from farms that are dedicated to animal welfare and traditional grazing methods.
Fatworks Costs
You can pick a la carte jars or order combo bundles of animal fat or ghee. The price for a 14 oz jar is $14.95-$18.50, depending on what you choose. There is also a delivery fee that is calculated at checkout once you select your location.
Pros and Cons
PROS:
- Fatworks' range of tallow, lard, ghee, and duck fat come from pastured animals
- The company crafts premium small-batch goods
- Shipping throughout the USA
- Traditional fats are good for your body
- Great for paleo, keto, GAPS, and low-carb dieters
- A review of the company's products reveals an excellent range of options and sizes
- Unusual goods such as bison tallow on offer
CONS:
- Canadians should expect to pay extra for shipping and contact Fatworks first
- You might not want to go back to cheap oils ever again
What In the Fat Should I Buy!?
New to the fatosphere? If so, you might be wondering what the differences are between the types available. Here's a quick run-down:
Tallow
Tallow is rendered fat from beef or mutton. It's shelf-stable and can be stored outside of your fridge. Unlike other natural fat types, it's solid at room temperature. In the kitchen, use tallow for more flavor in any dish and when you're cooking with high heat. Outside of the kitchen, pure tallow can be used to make candles and even moisturizers!
Lard
This fat is much like tallow but with one key difference, lard is made from pig suet. Unlike tallow, it needs to be refrigerated. Lard is versatile in the kitchen and suits savory flavors, use it the same way you would any cooking fat. Try a lard pie crust and see if you can rival your grandma's!
Leaf Lard
Forget about the name as there's nothing vegan about leaf lard. Instead, this fat comes from the softer fat surrounding a pig's kidneys and loins. Its flavor is much less meaty than regular lard or tallow, making it ideal for delicate dishes.
Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter, made by melting regular butter to separate the milk solids and liquid fats. The solids are removed, which means ghee naturally has less lactose. Ghee is used in all sorts of meals and dishes and has a nutty flavor.
Food for Thought
That concludes our review of Fatworks' range of fatty goods. We were already sold on the pros of natural fats over cheap hydrogenated stuff, and we're even more impressed with the company now given its range of goods and its dedication to animal welfare and happiness. If you're looking for quality lard, tallow, leaf lard, or duck fat that's good for your body and your tastebuds, you really can't go wrong with Fatworks.
Fat Works