Bacon Grease

[Larry Caldwell]

What do you guys use bacon grease for?

The most common use I have is to fry bacon. I don't have one of those plates that flattens the bacon while it fries, so just scoop half a cup of bacon grease into the pan and fry bacon in that. As the edges curl, they don't lift out of the grease, so the bacon cooks evenly. Those frozen burritos you buy that turn into a pasty mess when you microwave them crisp right up in just a tsp of bacon grease. I nuke them for a couple of minutes to thaw them, then fry them until the outside is brown and crispy. With enough hot sauce, they are edible that way.

I also use bacon grease for the roux when making gravy. It occurred to me that I could use it for pie crust if I'm making pot pies, but I've never tried it. Now I need to think about making up a dozen home made beef freezer pot pies using pot roast and gravy.

I have doubts about how the flavor would go with fruit pies.

Do any of you guys cook? My wife is a good cook, but she sticks to tried and true dishes. I like to invent stuff in the kitchen. If dinner doesn't explode, the experiment was a success. :confused2:

 

[Thomas]

Not by any means I am a cook but I do like to "experiment" now and than.

Wild game I have ideas had good luck so my bride said so. :licking:

If you have tough piece of meat try cooking in bacon fat slowly,Just couple good soup spoons w/bake beans.

 

[Wakey]

I have bacon grease in a mug in the fridge for frying down onions and the like as well as the occasional eggs.

I also use a bit when I cook my greens.

This is the best recipe site for South Louisiana cooking. Deep South Dish

Here is the bacon press I use. It might make you life simpler and less messy. Amazon.com | Norpro Cast Iron Pig Shaped Bacon Press with Wood Handle: Bar Tools & Glasses

 

[Erik M]

When I get a couple soup cans full of bacon grease I mix it with suet chunks and cracked corn and sunflower seeds and fill the muffin tins. Makes a bag of suet pucks for the birds.

 

[bunyip]

We tip it over dried dog food and the dogs think it is a real treat, they get the rind as well, we use olive oil as a cooking medium if it is too dry.

 

[PJ The Kid]

If you pop corn in a skillet or pot, use a dab of bacon grease in the bottom and let it get warm before adding the kernels. I use it about any where I would use veg or olive oil. About anything that gets pan fried I use bacon grease.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I pour it in an empty soup can and use it for starting fires in the wood stove, OR in the winter like it is now, I dump it out on the ground where we put bird feed, for the birds...

They love the stuff...

SR

 

[JRobyn]

A paper towel liberally dipped in it is the BEST non-stick grill coating ever!

Here's another question; where do you keep it? We've always loved our old-school countertop container. Found it in an old hardware store several years ago. Everything now is stainless. This is aluminum. It's not the exact one we have, but a very close web image.

 

[Jim Nelson]

One of my older brothers was quite a horseman years ago when barbed wire was common fencing and it seemed he always had a cut up horse. His way of treating these wounds was to clean them up real well then apply some sort of antibiotic then slather the whole thing with bacon grease. He said it kept the wound soft and most importantly it repelled flies. I saw him use this on several cuts, some pretty bad, and they all healed well, usually with very little scarring.

 

[sseelhoff]

One of my older brothers was quite a horseman years ago when barbed wire was common fencing and it seemed he always had a cut up horse. His way of treating these wounds was to clean them up real well then apply some sort of antibiotic then slather the whole thing with bacon grease. He said it kept the wound soft and most importantly it repelled flies. I saw him use this on several cuts, some pretty bad, and they all healed well, usually with very little scarring.

My wife uses it on horse cuts as well. Prevents scarring. Or so she tells me. Whatever she thinks, as long as I get to eat the bacon.

 

[4get gto]

I use bacon grease to make homefries. Tastey!

 

[milkman]

Bacon grease good to use to make gravy, season a pot of beans, and brush it on the top of biscuits before baking. We cooked with either lard or bacon grease for everything when growing up and after 73 yrs, my cholesterol is still good.

 

[4get gto]

I'm thinking you can still buy lard in the grocery store? And no don't tell your Doctor you're using this.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

It will make your sparrows look like Robins! lol

SR

 

[Einthewoods]

Oh wow....it might be easier to think of things where bacon grease isn't fantastic.

But, here are a couple things I do use it for:

1. Fried potatoes. Get the grease in the pan (cast iron I use mostly) let it get going and then dump in the diced onion, garlic and jalapenos. Once they start to get soft put in the diced potatoes, salt and pepper. Put a lid on to get the cooked/softened. Once cooked, take the lid off and fry them up nice and brown. Dear Lord I am making myself hungry

2. Green beans or any canned vegetables. I hate vegetables out of the can and just heated. Might as well share some kibble with the dog. But, get some bacon grease and onions going in a skillet and then put in the drained veggies to heat up....yowsers, I can see the light

 

[Doofy]

I rub it on my chest to taunt the grizzly bears! No, really I keep it in the fridge in a mason jar, unfiltered and with all the tasty bits. Best use is for cornbread, just melt a tablespoon or 2 in the baking pan before pouring in the batter and baking. This makes a nice crispy crust.

 

[Paddy]

while camping we used it for oil lights, sure smelled good

 

[goeduck]

Hate to be a party pooper but we took bacon off the food list. So no uses here.

 

[TnAndy]

I'm thinking you can still buy lard in the grocery store? And no don't tell your Doctor you're using this.

We kill couple pigs/yr and render the lard out of them for cooking. Get 15-20 quarts out of 2, which is plenty, so no need to save bacon grease. Isn't much anyway from our canned bacon as we pre-cook it before canning....keeps it from falling apart when pressure processed.

 

[tomtherailnut]

I'm thinking you can still buy lard in the grocery store? And no don't tell your Doctor you're using this.

Actually, the animal fats are MUCH better for your heart and vascular system than any vegetable based fats, including olive oil. Check it out. If you really want to live a long time, eat all meats and fats, cut out white food like potatoes and sugars, and lots of colored foods, like green veggies and orange carrots.