# Bacon grease: I saved it. Now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 1, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474 "2017-04-01T02:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/41 "2017-04-01T23:46:21Z")
Collect enough then sculpt a pig from its own rendered fat… But yeah, use bacon grease for cooking anything your would norally use oil for to make 50,000% better. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/42 "2017-04-02T01:02:23Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > OOOOOOHHHHH Bacon Grease. > > What **gkster** suggested is very nearly what I like to do as one of my extremely rarely indulged vices, and is exactly what **Ukulele Ike** said about applying directly to your arteries (for all practical purposes) > > I like to take a piece of bread (or however many), and soak it in still-warm-from-cooking bacon grease, just enough to sop up a bit of it without making the bread totally soggy with it, and eat it that way. I only do this with fresh bacon grease though, since I never save it. I don’t know how the flavor would hold up in grease that has been saved and refrigerated, then later reheated. This reminds me of something my dad used to do. He would let the grease settle just a bit, pour off the thin part on the top, then dunk bread in the sludge of grease and bacon detritus that remained. He called it “lick daub” or at least I think that is what it was. I never saw the term written down. It was darn good, but I am sure it was hellaciously bad for you. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/43 "2017-04-02T02:39:37Z")
My mom grew up in Germany in the 20s and 30s, a place and time that was even more poor than America at the same time. When I was a young person, I used to make fun of her for spreading bacon drippings (bacon grease) on bread. Now, I am aware how delicious that is. I use bacon grease for frying potatoes, cornbread, and seasoning vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/44 "2017-04-02T02:49:17Z")
We save a little bacon grease to season green beans, turnip greens etc. A teaspoon in the pot of green beans flavors them nicely. It goes bad pretty quick. We keep it 2 to 3 weeks. Then replace with fresh. It’s never an issue because we cook bacon several times a month. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/45 "2017-04-02T04:18:26Z")
Get some sodium hydroxide and learn how to make soap. It’s pretty easy and by choosing additional oils (coconut oil, shea butter, etc…), you can make some pretty interesting soaps. There are plenty of websites that will help you get the right proportions and combinations of ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/46 "2017-04-02T05:26:04Z")
I have a recipe from my grandmother, from the depression/rationing days, called “Eggless, Butterless, Milkless cake” It has fat/oil in it, but the recipe says that can be of any kind, even bacon grease. I’ve made the cake any number of times but never used bacon grease, just vegetable oil. I do love bacon greased though, nothing better for frying potatoes or eggs. I have fried bread, but very lightly, using just enough grease to crisp the bread. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/47 "2017-04-02T05:34:33Z")
[QUOTE=excavating (for a mind)] Get some sodium hydroxide and learn how to make soap. It’s pretty easy and by choosing additional oils (coconut oil, shea butter, etc…), you can make some pretty interesting soaps. There are plenty of websites that will help you get the right proportions and combinations of ingredients. [/QUOTE] This is what I was going to say. Render the fat first by boiling it with about twice the amount of water to grease for about 10-15 min. Put that in the fridge and when it’s cool, lift the firm grease off the top. Do that like 3-4 times. After that, melt it and strain it through a coffee filter. Voila…nice clean fat for soap making. \<3 ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/48 "2017-04-02T19:47:13Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > This reminds me of something my dad used to do. He would let the grease settle just a bit, pour off the thin part on the top, then dunk bread in the sludge of grease and bacon detritus that remained. He called it “lick daub” or at least I think that is what it was. I never saw the term written down. > > It was darn good, but I am sure it was hellaciously bad for you. I actually got the idea from eating at an “Italian restaurant” (forget which one). For appetizers they would serve sliced baguette with olive oil for dipping. I’ve been known to eat an entire loaf of bread with fresh bacon grease.:o And I agree, anything that yummy, that can tempt me into eating that much in one sitting, _has_ to be bad for you. Its like a universal law of nature or something. hmmm, all those posts about substituting bacon for other oils in breakfast dishes…gonna try that with waffles I think, sometime this summer ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/49 "2017-04-02T21:56:57Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > … (“when you say cheese say Hautly and smile!”), … Mmmmmm. You know you got the best in the whole midwest… Mmmmm…nothing better than bacon grease and cheddar!!! ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/50 "2017-04-03T17:02:08Z")
Bacon grease is just salty lard. So it will work for anything you can use lard for. And since people for some reason don’t seem to use lard much anymore (poor, ignorant fools), you can use it for anything you use vegetable oil, shortening, olive oil or butter for. Or if you’re a hipster, use in place of coconut oil. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/51 "2017-04-03T18:04:38Z")
My parents knew a guy who was a health food fanatic. But he did have a fondness for ginger snap cookies. However, he could never find any that were as good as his mother used to make. My mother took this as a challenge, and tried every recipe she could find, but without success. My father mentioned that his aunt had always made the best ginger snaps he knew. Mom called the aunt. “Oh, I just use the recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook, but instead of shortening, I use bacon grease.” Mom tried it, and the friend said that these tasted just like his mom’s cookies! He asked what was the secret? Mom smiled and said, “You don’t want to know.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/52 "2017-04-03T18:06:54Z")
Bacon grease is good for home-made french fries, eggs, pancakes, and liver and onions. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/53 "2017-04-03T18:57:09Z")
I save my bacon grease and use it to brown the diced meat and onions when I’m making chili. Adds a nice subtle smokiness to your chili. Since I’m usually using venison for chili, it also helps add a bit of fat to a super lean meat. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/54 "2017-04-03T19:12:10Z")
My parents grew up during WWII so I’m sure that was a thing back then. We always had a small coffee can of bacon grease in the fridge. I think it was used mostly for eggs and burgers. I remember being so disappointed the first time I had over-easy eggs at a restaurant and they didn’t look like what we called “dirty eggs”!! Our eggs at home cooked in bacon grease (where the grease was actually spooned over the egg to cook the top!) were always covered in little specks from the bacon grease. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/55 "2017-04-03T19:16:07Z")
Bacon grease makes everything better. I put it my biscuit batter. I saute my veggies in it. I put in my soups, which are magnificent. ---
**Author:** ![Thuringwethil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@Thuringwethil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thuringwethil)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/56 "2017-04-03T19:24:13Z")
Our church serves breakfast at Thanksgiving each year and there’s a lot of bacon grease left over. One of the elders of our church would ask us to save it; he took it home, mixed it with bird seed, and put it out for the birds in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/57 "2017-04-03T23:09:31Z")
It’s good for frying bacon, too. No, really! Sometimes a given pound of bacon is just a little too lean for its own good, and won’t fry up properly. A few healthy dollops of bacon grease and Bob’s Yer Uncle. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/58 "2017-04-04T13:09:55Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > It’s good for frying bacon, too. > > No, really! > > Sometimes a given pound of bacon is just a little too lean for its own good, and won’t fry up properly. A few healthy dollops of bacon grease and Bob’s Yer Uncle. I was going to say the same thing, only about breakfast sausage (kind that comes in a plastic tube, not skins). Lately they seem to be too lean to make sausage gravy for biscuits, which we do about once a month for Saturday brunch. The way I make it, you need a goodly amount of fat to “roux-ify” the sausage before adding dairy. So a bit of leftover bacon grease added works well. (Otherwise I use a lump of butter.) Oddly, I can’t stand milk gravy made with only bacon… But, somewhat like Chronos, I mostly am making bacon when I’m going to use the fat in something else. It might be later in the day, though. Make a pack of bacon in the morning, save the grease and leftover bacon (if I can keep us from nibbling it!) and use that all to start out greens or beans at dinner. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/59 "2017-04-04T13:37:08Z")
On a similar note, my neighbor roasted a turkey for Thanksgiving, and gave me the carcass afterwards, which I boiled down for soup. When cooled, I skimmed about a half pound of turkey grease off the top, and put it in a tub in the fridge. I used it for cooking/frying grease, and after four months, I still have some left. To me, it was just as effective as bacon grease. I never cook bacon just as bacon, but I use it in a few dedicated recopes, like green beans or liver and onions. So I never have the grease as an uneaten leftover. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474/60 "2017-04-04T13:38:20Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Bacon fat usually ends up with impurities in it, unlike rendered goose fat or duck fat that you buy at the store, so it will likely develop mold over time. I used to store mine in the freezer in a plastic container and just chip out whatever I needed for cooking, but nowadays just fry up some bacon and use the resulting fat for whatever I’m needing it for. I render my own goose and duck fat, from when I cook goose or duck. I’ve never had any trouble with mold. Eventually, they will go slightly rancid, and then I get rid of any leftover. Yes, if you want bacon fat to keep you should probably strain out the bits of bacon and what-not. And make sure to cook off any moisture. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-grease-i-saved-it-now-what/783474.md?page=4)