Suet

Suet (/ˈsuː.ɪt/) is raw beef or mutton fat, especially the hard fat found around the loins and kidneys. It melts at about 21°C (70°F). It consists mostly of saturated fat.

The primary use of suet is to make tallow, although it is also used as an ingredient in cooking. Suet is made into tallow in a process called rendering, which involves melting and extended simmering, followed by straining, cooling and usually a repetition of the entire process.

Unlike suet, tallow can be stored for extended periods without refrigeration. It is used to make soap, for cooking (fried foods especially), as a bird food, and was once used for making candles.

Vegetarian suet is readily available in supermarkets in the United Kingdom. It is made from fat such as palm oil combined with rice flour. It resembles shredded beef suet, and is used as a substitute in recipes.

Woodpeckers, goldfinches, juncos, cardinals, thrushes, jays, kinglets, bluebirds, wrens, and starlings are all known to favour suet-based bird feeders.