How to Use Bacon Grease for Cooking and Healing

Monounsaturated Fatty Acid.

Bacon grease is the liquid fat that is rendered from cooking bacon. It has a rich, smoky flavor and a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying and sautéing. But did you know that bacon grease also has some health benefits and medicinal uses? In this post, I'll share some of the ways you can use bacon grease for cooking and healing.

Cooking with Bacon Grease

Bacon grease can be used in many recipes to add flavor and moisture. Here are some of the ways you can cook with bacon grease:

• Roast vegetables. Instead of drizzling your vegetables with olive oil before roasting, plop some bacon grease in the pan. Make sure to stir the vegetables after the bacon grease has melted to coat them evenly¹.
• Fry burgers. If you're pan-frying your burgers, you can use a bit of bacon grease in the pan to flavor them².
• Pop popcorn. Use bacon grease instead of oil to make stovetop popcorn. You'll get a delicious snack with a hint of bacon².
• Fry grilled cheese. For an out-of-this-world grilled cheese sandwich, try frying it in bacon grease instead of butter².
• Make biscuits. Since bacon grease turns solid when cold, you can use it to replace half of the butter in your favorite biscuit recipe².
• Fry hash browns. Hash browns and bacon grease are a match made in heaven. Fry your shredded potatoes in bacon grease for a crispy and flavorful breakfast².
• Spread on pizza crust. To lend flavor and a crispy texture to your pizza crust, try brushing it with bacon grease before topping².
• Use as a gravy base. You can use bacon grease as a base for any gravy, but it's especially yummy in a sausage gravy for biscuits and gravy².
• Make cornbread. Replace all or part of the butter in your cornbread recipe with bacon grease for a moist and savory bread².
• Spread on BLT toast. When you're making a BLT, save some of the grease from the bacon and spread it on warm toast instead of butter to enhance the bacon flavor².
• Make Baconnaise. You can make your own mayonnaise by replacing all or part of the oil with melted bacon grease. You'll get a creamy and smoky spread that goes well with sandwiches, salads, and dips².

Healing with Bacon Grease

Bacon grease is not only good for cooking, but also for healing. It has some antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that can help with minor wounds and infections. Here are some of the ways you can heal with bacon grease:

• Heal and soothe small cuts and scrapes. Rub cooled bacon grease on small cuts to provide relief from swelling and redness³.
• Remove splinters. If you have a splinter that's hard to get out, rub some bacon grease over it and cover it with a bandage. Leave it overnight and then remove the bandage. The splinter should come out easily³.
• Treat insect bites and stings. Apply some bacon grease to insect bites and stings to reduce itching and pain⁴.
• Moisturize dry skin. Bacon grease can be used as a natural moisturizer for dry skin, especially on elbows, knees, and heels⁴.
• Prevent diaper rash. If your baby has diaper rash, you can use some bacon grease as a barrier cream to protect the skin from irritation⁴.

How to Save and Store Bacon Grease

If you want to use bacon grease for cooking and healing, you need to save and store it properly. Here are some tips on how to do that:

• Strain the bacon grease. After cooking your bacon, pour the hot grease through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a heat-proof container, such as a glass jar or metal can. This will remove any bits of bacon that could spoil the grease.
• Let the bacon grease cool. Allow the bacon grease to cool completely before sealing the container with a lid.
• Store the bacon grease in the refrigerator or freezer. You can keep your bacon grease in the refrigerator for up to six months or in the freezer for up to a year⁵. You can also store it at room temperature if you use it frequently, but make sure it's in an airtight container away from heat and light sources.
• Label the bacon grease container. To avoid confusion, label your bacon grease container with the date and amount of grease inside.

Conclusion

Bacon grease is more than just a waste product from cooking bacon. It's a versatile ingredient that can be used for cooking and healing purposes. By saving and storing your bacon grease properly, you can enjoy its benefits for months to come.

Do you have any other ways to use bacon grease? 

Share them in the comments below!

Source:

(1) 21 Brilliant Uses for Bacon Grease | Urban Survival Site. https://urbansurvivalsite.com/uses-for-bacon-grease/.

(2) 20 Ways to Use Bacon Grease - What to Cook with Bacon Grease. https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/cooking-tips-tutorials/a101372/20-ways-to-use-bacon-grease/.

(3) Bacon grease Facts, Medicinal uses and Nutritional Value. https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/bacon-grease/.

(4) The Various Uses And Health Benefits Of Bacon Grease. https://www.fabiandrosi.com/the-various-uses-and-health-benefits-of-bacon-grease/.

(5) Bacon Grease: A Comprehensive Guide to Saving, Storing, and Cooking. https://www.prolinerangehoods.com/blog/bacon-grease-a-comprehensive-guide/.

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