Tallow-Fried Polenta
Polenta gets skipped over way too often but is definitely a fan favorite in our home. Birch had a bunch of beef tallow awhile back, and thankfully it freezes incredibly well, so I pulled some out and used it to crisp up slices of polenta. They get golden and crispy on the outside while staying soft and creamy in the middle. A little salt and MSG right when they come out is honestly all they need. I found some tzatziki hanging out in the Birch fridge and started dipping them in it, and 10/10 will absolutely be doing that again.
What You’ll Need
1 tube prepared polenta
Beef tallow, enough to generously coat the bottom of the pan
Salt, to taste
MSG, to taste
Tzatziki or ranch for dipping
How To Make It
Slice the polenta. Cut the polenta into rounds about ½-inch thick.
Heat the tallow. Add beef tallow to a skillet and heat over medium heat. You want it hot enough to sizzle, but don’t let the tallow smoke.
Fry. Add the polenta slices in a single layer and cook for about 6 minutes per side, or until deeply golden and crispy. Try not to move them around too much while they cook so they can develop that crust.
Drain. Transfer the crispy polenta to a wire rack and let any excess tallow drip off.
Season immediately. While they’re still hot, sprinkle generously with salt and a little MSG.
Serve. Eat them hot as-is, or serve with cold tzatziki for dipping.
