# How do you use your saved bacon fat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449 "2010-11-04T13:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/1 "2010-11-04T13:50:34Z")
After reading **carnivorousplant’s** thread on storing bacon fat. I want to know how others use it. In hopes we can revive and foster the use of this essential cooking oil. I offer the following relatively standard uses: [ul] [li]Bacon gravy (really good on mashed potatoes)[/li][li]Eggs fried in bacon fat[/li][li]Fried potatoes[/li][li]Browning beef for chili and beef stew[/li][li]Sourdough biscuits rolled in bacon fat before baking[/li][li]Fried onions for sandwiches and fajitas.[/li][/ul]I offer the following on behalf of my father who fed me these wonderful things in my childhood: [ul] [li]Bacon fat popcorn - use the same amount of bacon fat as you would oil[/li][li]Bacon fat potato chips - 25% bacon fat 75% fryer oil[/li][li]Pancakes cooked in bacon fat[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/2 "2010-11-04T14:31:40Z")
Isn’t it a natural law that whenever bacon has been fried, eggs must be immediately fried in the leftover grease? Other than that, we don’t use it. We let it congeal in the pan then scrape it out into the trash. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/3 "2010-11-04T14:59:22Z")
One word: Fatsicle. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/4 "2010-11-04T15:03:28Z")
I cook everything in either butter, salvaged bacon fat or salvaged beef fat. I have a pretty simple daily diet, though, it’s usually just meat, fish, eggs and vegetables that I fry up. No creative recipes. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/5 "2010-11-04T15:09:13Z")
Since I “save” it in the garbage bin, none of the above. But duck fat is a different story - fried eggs, baked potatoes, well anything really. I suppose I should add that in Australia we don’t eat the stuff Americans eat as bacon. We have very low fat bacon. The crispy stuff you eat we give to the dogs. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/6 "2010-11-04T15:11:18Z")
If you make your cornbread southern-style in a cast-iron skillet, you can melt bacon grease into the pan before pouring the batter in. It is delightful. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/7 "2010-11-04T15:14:26Z")
[Put it in soda](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=584283), apparently. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/8 "2010-11-04T15:19:19Z")
I don’t fry up bacon at home much anymore. ☹ But when I had bacon fat, I did like putting a dollop of it into pasta water or rice instead of butter or veggie oil. You could taste the difference! Oh, and mashed potatoes too. Bacon fat - it’s not just for frying other crap in. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/9 "2010-11-04T15:27:38Z")
**Jim** , apparently great minds think alike: [Tell me why I should save rendered bacon fat](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=547944) ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/10 "2010-11-04T17:56:51Z")
[Bacon Hitler?](http://www.grimmemennesker.dk/ugly-people-536.htm) ---
**Author:** ![pyromyte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pyromyte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pyromyte)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/11 "2010-11-04T18:04:02Z")
Pour it on mustard or turnip greens. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/12 "2010-11-04T19:59:02Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > I suppose I should add that in Australia we don’t eat the stuff Americans eat as bacon. We have very low fat bacon. The crispy stuff you eat we give to the dogs. What? Why?! Philistines. There’s a reason we think y’all are criminals. ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_Elliot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jane_elliot/32/6166_2.png) [@Jane\_Elliot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_Elliot)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/13 "2010-11-04T23:21:09Z")
I make soap from bacon fat. Unfortunately it doesn’t smell like bacon. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/14 "2010-11-05T01:25:51Z")
> [@Jane\_Elliot](#): > > I make soap from bacon fat. Unfortunately it doesn’t smell like bacon. I was thinking about the chemistry of that this evening washing dishes. If soap cleans grease so well, how does one make soap from grease? ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_Elliot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jane_elliot/32/6166_2.png) [@Jane\_Elliot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_Elliot)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/15 "2010-11-05T01:32:34Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I was thinking about the chemistry of that this evening washing dishes. > If soap cleans grease so well, how does one make soap from grease? At it’s simplest, soap is the reaction of lye, water & oil or fat. Here’s a simple page on making soap. [How to Make Homemade Soap | ehow](http://www.ehow.com/how_5911_make-homemade-soap.html) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/16 "2010-11-05T01:35:43Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/17 "2010-11-05T01:37:08Z")
Like any patriotic American, I send it to the government so they can turn it into bombs to help defeat the Germans. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/18 "2010-11-05T01:40:11Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > Like any patriotic American, I send it to the government so they can turn it into bombs to help defeat the Germans. There was a letter to the editor from my Grandmother about sugar and some guy wanting grapefruit, but say what? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/19 "2010-11-05T03:56:45Z")
Looking at this thread and the other one…well, I’m really confused. How often do you all cook bacon? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449/20 "2010-11-05T04:16:42Z")
Fried corn. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-your-saved-bacon-fat/559449.md?page=2)