Save Money, Reduce Waste & Ditch Seed Oils: Use Bacon Grease!

Bacon grease.

Often scraped into the trash bin, an annoying by product of the most delicious breakfast meat. What if I told you this leftover grease could be a culinary treasure, offering a healthy and cost-effective alternative to readily available seed oils?

Turning Trash into Treasure: Saving Money and Reducing Waste

Here's the secret: bacon grease is a fantastic substitute for oil and butter in many recipes! Not only does it add a distinctive smoky flavor, but it also helps you reduce waste and save money on cooking essentials like olive oil. Additionally, by using bacon grease, you can limit your consumption of seed oils (like canola, sunflower, or soybean oil), which are often highly processed and can offer less flavor compared to other options.

How to Save Your Bacon Grease:

Cook your bacon: Choose your preferred method, whether it's on a baking sheet in the oven, or in a skillet on the stovetop. I usually bake in the oven, and find this is the easiest way to collect a lot of grease. Although that could just be because I cook with cast iron, which is really freaking heavy to hold and pour from. A baking sheet is lighter.

Strain and store: Once the bacon is cooked, remove it from the pan. Allow the grease to cool for a few minutes, then pour it into a heat-resistant container. You can use a fine mesh strainer to remove any bacon bits if desired.

Refrigerate or freeze: Let the grease cool completely, then store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or freeze for longer storage.

Unlocking the Flavorful Potential of Bacon Grease:

Now comes the fun part: using your saved bacon grease! Here are some ideas to get you started:

Savory Breakfast: Elevate your morning scramble or breakfast hash with the rich flavor of bacon grease. It adds a delightful smokiness to potatoes, onions, and peppers.

Pasta Perfection: Sauté your onions and garlic in bacon grease before building your next pasta sauce. It adds depth and complexity to your tomato or cream-based sauces.

Roasted Vegetables: Give roasted Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or asparagus a flavor boost by tossing them with a bit of bacon grease before throwing them in the oven.

Smoke Point

Bacon grease has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which makes it better for sauteing and roasting. Below is a table of the fats/oils I cook with most frequently. Bacon fat is a great happy medium. For high temps and deep frying, your best option is Avocado oil. For raw uses like salad dressing, olive oil is my favorite choice.

Final Thoughts

Next time you cook bacon, don't discard that precious grease! Since I started doing this, my roasted veggies and pasta sauces have gained so much flavor, and I only buy olive oil about once a year. (Granted, I buy the giant jug from Costco). This tip has both saved us lots of money and added delicious flavor to our meals.