QUICK! What do you use bacon grease for?

[Steph Ed]

Originally Posted by Rdesonia So yummy to grease your cast iron with it and bake corn bread. (Real corn bread not sweet johnny cake like jiffy.) You can filter it and save it in the fridge. I'm guilty of doing that. In the south I often saw people just put it in a jelly jar or a metal container and leave it on the stove. I also use it for bean soup. But I happen to think that a little natural animal fat is good on occasion. Your body knows how to process it. (And kiddos need FAT to develop and grow.)

I'm not a fan of jiffy either, but my husband loves it. So, over the years, I have modified the recipe to use buttermilk instead of milk and add chopped onions and it is SOOO good. It totally takes away the sweet taste so now my husband and I are both happy!

[Southern Momma]

I always save bacon fat and keep it in the fridge. I use it to season cast iron, rub on potatoes before baking, cook greens in it, add it to dried beans while cooking, grease pans with it, add it to canned veggies while they are simmering.

It's really good to make white gravy with too.

Here's a basic recipe that's really easy and really good:

White Gravy:
1/4 cup bacon grease
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk warm
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons melted butter

Heat bacon grease in a cast iron skillet. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly about 1 minute. Add the warm milk slowly and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and stir, until thickened, about 5 minutes, adding milk as necessary to control the thickness. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Serve hot over biscuits.

Easy biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick very cold butter, grated
3/4 cup milk

Put the stick of butter in freezer for a few minutes so it gets really cold but not frozen. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Using a cheese grater, grate butter into mixture. Use your fingers to lightly mix in the butter until it all begins to look like cornmeal.

Make a well in the flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle. Gently knead dough with your fingers and add milk when necessary, it needs to be a little sticky but not wet. Roll or pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface to desired thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter or the top of a glass dipped in flour.

Grease the bottom of a cast iron skillet or baking sheet and place biscuits in pan/sheet. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown.

[Kiliki]

Originally Posted by MorrigansMomma I always save bacon fat and keep it in the fridge. I use it to season cast iron, rub on potatoes before baking, cook greens in it, add it to dried beans while cooking, grease pans with it, add it to canned veggies while they are simmering. It's really good to make white gravy with too. Here's a basic recipe that's really easy and really good: White Gravy: 1/4 cup bacon grease 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups milk warm 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoons pepper 2 tablespoons melted butter Heat bacon grease in a cast iron skillet. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly about 1 minute. Add the warm milk slowly and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and stir, until thickened, about 5 minutes, adding milk as necessary to control the thickness. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Serve hot over biscuits. Easy biscuits: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 stick very cold butter, grated 3/4 cup milk Put the stick of butter in freezer for a few minutes so it gets really cold but not frozen. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Using a cheese grater, grate butter into mixture. Use your fingers to lightly mix in the butter until it all begins to look like cornmeal. Make a well in the flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle. Gently knead dough with your fingers and add milk when necessary, it needs to be a little sticky but not wet. Roll or pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface to desired thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter or the top of a glass dipped in flour. Grease the bottom of a cast iron skillet or baking sheet and place biscuits in pan/sheet. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown.

TYSM!!!

[bfuzzy2]

Oh share a good corn bread recipe please! I do not like the sweet kind.

[Southern Momma]

TYSM!!!

You're welcome

[Southern Momma]

Oh share a good corn bread recipe please! I do not like the sweet kind.

I don't like the sweet kind either. I'm always on the look out for new cornbread recipes. I LOVE cornbread!!!

Here's how I usually make mine:

Cornbread
2 cups self-rising corn meal
4 tablespoons oil, divided
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, approximately
1 egg

Grease a cast iron skillet with 2 TBS oil, heat in 400 degree oven while you mix up batter.
Mix corn meal, remaining oil, egg and buttermilk (start with 1.5 Cups and add a little extra if batter is too thick). Pour batter into hot skillet (it will sizzle and the extra oil you heated in the skillet may kind of puddle around the edges. That's ok, it makes the crust nice and crispy)
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

[stephcrouse]

...a laxative...? That's how it works for me, and is probably why I no longer eat pig bacon either! I am with you, non-animal fats = healthier fats.

[MyKylie]

Ok I must be weird because I have never even considered saving bacon fat and I've never known anyone to do so.

[slyfoxy]

We don't eat much bacon but when do. I save the bacon grease an put some in our soup beans instead of ham hocks or fix fried tater cakes.

That's about it for us.

[TwistedBranches]

We started saving it to make homemade dog treats! But I have since branched out to use it for seasoning cast iron, bean soups, etc. different types of animal fat have different tastes. Sausage is better than bacon... Unless it is applewood smoked bacon! (and applewood smoked bacon grease with green beans = amazing). We also cook with ghee (clarified butter).