Mmmmm, bacon. The aroma. The sizzle. The crackle. Just the thought is enough to make one start to drool. The salted pork belly, also known as bacon is one of the most beloved dishes in the world for a reason. While most people enjoy munching on bacon not many know what to do with the leftover bacon grease. Here are 5 uses for all that extra bacon grease that you might not have known.

Cooking

Bacon grease does not have to be limited to cooking pieces of prime bacon. Whether you’re making hash browns, eggs, frying potatoes, or biscuits, substitute bacon grease for butter or oil for a deliciously rich meal.

Homemade candle

If you aren’t a fan of re-cooking bacon grease you can also go the DIY route and make yourself a candle out of it. This idea not only makes your home smell delicious, but it can also be quite fun to make. Enjoy a unique candle scent which can also be used as a personalised gift for friends and family.

Salad dressing

Make your salad a lot more enticing by adding some bacon grease on top. This salad dressing acts as a delicious taste enhancer without adding too many calories to your meal.

Pasta sauce

Bacon pasta sauces are quite easy to make. Cook onions, mushrooms, garlic or any other vegetable you enjoy, in bacon fat. Add heavy cream or cream cheese with parmesan and enjoy an instant and tasty pasta sauce. Toss it in the pasta of your choice and watch your guests be floored by your resourcefulness.

Caramelize onions

Caramelizing onions is when you cook onions on low heat for so long that the onions turn brown. You can add caramelized onion to your spicy chicken burger or just enjoy it as a side with your pork sausage. Caramelizing onions in bacon grease is a great way to elevate the flavour.

Season skillet

A cast-iron skillet ensures that the food you cook is prepared quickly and evenly, making it the ideal utensil for stir-frying. Many people know that when you clean your iron skillet you use hot water and a sponge instead of soap to allow the skillet to adopt the flavour of the foods it has cooked. Instead of wiping down your skillet with olive oil try using bacon grease next time! This will help your cast iron adopt some of that bacony goodness and permanently up your cooking game.

How to store bacon grease

Now that we know what to do with the bacon grease, we should also know how to store it safely for extended periods. All you need for this is a glass jar or an airtight container that won’t crack or bust when placed in a freezer. Some people recommend using a cheesecloth or special strainer while pouring your bacon grease into the container. This ensures that your bacon grease is pure and doesn’t have any “bits” leftover. This is a good idea as leaving bacon bits in can actually make the grease go bad faster. If you store bacon grease in a proper container in the fridge, you can get around 6 months of use out of it. Place it in a freezer and the shelf life gets extended to a year. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to have your bacon and eat it too!