Eating the Trash--Don't Waste the Bacon Grease!

I was raised in a family that always saved the bacon grease.  And for good reason!  There are so many ways to use it that there is no reason to ever throw it away.

My mother and grandmother most commonly used bacon grease to make flour tortillas.  The bacon grease adds a wonderful depth of flavor.  My children won't eat plain homemade tortillas anymore.  They've been spoiled, I guess.  Anyway, substitute bacon grease 1:1 for the shortening or lard in your recipe. 

Bacon grease can also be used in place of the fat in other breads like cornbread and biscuits.  Of course, your product will have a bacon flavor to it.  Also, remember to cut back on the salt.

Some people use it to season dried beans.  My grandmother often added it to her refried beans.  

Use bacon grease instead of cooking oil to pop popcorn on the stove.

Bacon grease adds great flavor to sauteed potatoes and onions.  The absolute best Brussels sprouts I ever had were sauteed in bacon fat, and also included bits of bacon.  They were served at my husband's company Christmas party a few years back.  After having thirds on them, I was too embarrassed to go back for more.  So I sent my sweet husband instead.

Bacon grease makes a great gravy for biscuits.

Bacon Gravy
1/4 cup bacon grease
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2-3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 slices bacon, crumbled

In a medium skillet, combine bacon grease and flour over medium heat.  Whisk until smooth and thickened, about five minutes.  Add milk in 1/2 cup at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth.  When you've got the desired consistency, add in the salt, pepper, and bacon.  Serve hot over fresh biscuits.


Bacon grease makes a really great salad dressing for wilted spinach or lettuce.  All the ingredients are food storage items, and it mixes together pretty quickly.  It's easy to make for a single serving as well as for the family dinner. 

Wilted Spinach Salad Dressing
(single serving)
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 tablespoon salad oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon onion salt
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

(4-6 servings)
1/4 cup bacon grease
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon dry mustard

Combine the bacon grease and oil, and then mix in the remaining ingredients.  Serve warm.

If you have an excess of bacon grease that you just don't want to hang onto, it can always be used to make dog biscuits or drizzled over dog food.  Or let it solidify in a shallow tuna or meat can and then hang it in a tree to feed the birds. 


To safely save your bacon grease for future use, let it cool in the pan.  When cool enough to handle safely, pour it into a canning jar.  While most people can use their bacon grease quickly enough that leaving it on the counter is perfectly safe, I prefer to keep mine in the refrigerator and off the counters.  Pressure canning bacon grease is not recommended.  However, in the refrigerator it seems to have just about an indefinite shelf life.  Keeping it in a root cellar or other cool, dark place should work quite well also.

Links to related posts:
Flour Tortillas
Dog Biscuits
Refried Beans

 23 november 2019