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.