What Do I Do with Bacon Grease?

Here’s a quick Tuesday afternoon bacon-related post for you!

Like most carnivores, I consider bacon to be a treat best enjoyed ALL THE TIME. Fortunately, I realize that bacon is not to be had all day, every day, much as I would like my meal plan to consist of Breakfast: bacon with a side of bacon, Lunch: bacon quiche, bacon salad with bacon vinaigrette, and Dinner: roast bacon à la bacon. Bacon in moderation is much more reasonable and makes it that much more special.

That said, what to do with the bacon grease when you’re done?

As I learned from my dad, you must NEVER put bacon grease down the drain. The grease will solidify, especially if you run any cold water into the drain, and you will be left with clogged, stinky pipes until you call the plumber. Gross.

As we all know, bacon makes pretty much everything taste better, and so does bacon fat. So save it when you’re done! I keep a Mason jar on the side of the stove so that every time I make bacon, I can pour the liquid fat (when it’s still hot) into the jar and seal it up. Then I have a delightful jar of fat at my disposal for cooking. A little bit goes a long way – I use it mostly for cooking eggs, but it tastes amazing with potatoes, burgers, collard greens or kale (with a little garlic tossed in…mmm!), or, if you’re feeling SUPER decadent, macaroni and cheese (I use it instead of butter to make roux for the cheese sauce. It tastes ORGASMIC). The fat can be transferred to the freezer where it will last ostensibly forever to be used in a variety of dishes for months and years to come, saving you money on cooking oil and saving your kitchen drain from grease illness.

What are your favorite ways to cook with bacon or bacon fat?