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I can't believe it's not bacon! Oh, wait--it is. Never mind.
I always advocate saving the drippings from your bacon, whether you're frying in a pan or baking in the oven. But what's the big deal? How can leftover bacon fat even be useful?
1. It's better for your pans--and your pipes.
Anyone who's ever baked bacon without the aid of aluminum foil knows that our favorite pork product can quickly turn a baking sheet into a greasy mess. But did you know that pouring the hot grease down the drain can be bad for your pipes? It's true--because fat solidifies as it cools, any kind of animal fat can eventually clog your pipes.
2. It's great for greasing a pan.
Naturally this bonus depends slightly on what you'll be using the pan for--not everyone enjoys the subtle taste of bacon flavoring their baked goods. But if your savory recipe calls for a greased pan, bacon fat stays soft and maleable for easy spreading and coating.
3. Cooking with bacon fat makes everything taste like--wait for it--bacon.
Bacon fat can pep up anything from an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich (sorry, vegetarians!) to green beans. Recipes that include bacon fat are all over the darn place, but if you're too lazy to find one, try swapping bacon fat in for butter or oil in a recipe you already know and love.
4. Bacon fat will eventually save the world.
No joke--if bacon fat can already be used to power a vehicle, treat a skin ailment, and make soap, it's only a matter of time before bacon is the answer to all our woes.
So how do you do it?
As I mentioned up top, aluminum foil on a baking sheet is always a good idea when cooking bacon in the oven—the grease will slide right off. No matter how you cook your bacon, pour off the fat immediately after cooking, before it has a chance to solidify. (Mind your hands—hot grease can burn!) If you're frying up a lot of bacon, you may want to pour off some fat periodically throughout the cooking.
Make sure to use to a heat-safe container, ideally one that can be closed securely for refrigeration. My mother always used half a frozen juice can, but I prefer a small glass jar. (Caution: never use a cold ceramic or glass container to store your fat, as hot grease can crack these materials; always warm the container up to room temperature first.)
For clean, clear fat, line the mouth of your container with paper towels. These will collect any solids from the fat. The grease will drain through the towels faster the hotter it is, so don't delay.
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