Bacon Grease Storage

[Jamie B]

I have a friend who drains hot bacon grease into coffee cups, and just leaves them on the counter after cooling.

She just dips into it with a spoon when cooking days or weeks later, and claims no rancid issues.

I always thought that it was best to store in the fridge.

Thoughts? Experience?

[SADShooter]

I've found it's pretty stable when left out, but I do prefer to keep it under plastic wrap in the fridge, if only because chilled it's less messy to dispense.

[mtnbkr]

I store ours in a mason jar in the fridge, but I've known family members to leave theirs out without any ill effects.

Chris

[MillCreek]

My parents were born and raised in NE Arkansas, and my mom kept a covered jar of bacon drippings on the counter at room temperature.  Both of them are in their mid-80's and still alive, but Dad did have that coronary bypass about ten years ago.....

I keep my bacon drippings in a sealed jar in the fridge.  My wife insists on keeping a stick of butter in a covered butter dish on the counter, so it is easy to spread.  This gives me the vapors, but we have not died yet.  The stick of butter gets eaten up in about two weeks, so maybe that is too short a time to spoil.

[red headed stranger]

I store mine in one of these.  Sometimes on the counter, sometimes in the fridge:

http://www.amazon.com/CorningWare-1035985-French-White-20-Ounce/dp/B0002KZMCO



I am sure to use a strainer when pouring the grease into the container.

[red headed stranger]

My wife insists on keeping a stick of butter in a covered butter dish on the counter, so it is easy to spread.  This gives me the vapors, but we have not died yet.  The stick of butter gets eaten up in about two weeks, so maybe that is too short a time to spoil.

I have something like this for leaving butter out at room temp:



You pour just a small amount of water into the base to create an airtight seal.  It's a solution that has been around for quite a while. 

[AJ Dual]

At 325-odd degrees, it's pretty sterile when it goes into whatever container is holding it, and then the majority of it's volume is kept away from O2/air/critters  by it's own surface.

If you're really paranoid, I guess you could make sure it went into a sterile boiled jar, and you add a few drops of food-grade BHT to it, and it went into the fridge too.

[zahc]

I've never had any problem with leaving it out. My problem is I have more of it than I can use, and I haven't figured out a good way to get rid of it. I've been told that putting it down the garbage disposal is bad, and I'm also not supposed to throw it out with the trash, so I don't know what to do with it.

[mtnbkr]

bacon grease sammiches.

Actually, I use ours in beans or to cook eggs.

Chris

[SADShooter]

Spikes a gumbo roux to 11.

[AJ Dual]

I've never had any problem with leaving it out. My problem is I have more of it than I can use, and I haven't figured out a good way to get rid of it. I've been told that putting it down the garbage disposal is bad, and I'm also not supposed to throw it out with the trash, so I don't know what to do with it.

I just mix it with a squirt of dish soap and run it down the drain with plenty of hot water. Never had an issue.

I guess all that grease is "bad" for the water treatment plant. But.. (shrug)  

I've never heard you weren't supposed to be able to take it out in the trash in a sealed container, or poured into other trash that soaks it up.

A big +1 to make roux for soups or gravy.

Also, make some old-school stove-top popcorn with about a TBSP of it for the oil. Yummo..

[mtnbkr]

Also, make some old-school stove-top popcorn with about a TBSP of it for the oil. Yummo..

I make stovetop popcorn often (kids like to watch it pop in a glass lidded pot).  I'll have to try the bacon grease addition. :D

Chris

[MillCreek]

I have something like this for leaving butter out at room temp:



You pour just a small amount of water into the base to create an airtight seal.  It's a solution that has been around for quite a while. 

You know, I have had a number of those butter bells and they have never worked for me.  Here's why:  sooner or later, the butter falls out of the bell and into the water.  I have loose packed the butter, tightly packed the butter, even tried melting it once and pouring into the bell to let it solidfy, but eventually, the seal between the sides of the bell and the butter loosens, and the whole thing falls out.  Kudos to you if you have figured out a way to prevent this; I sure haven't.

[AJ Dual]

I make stovetop popcorn often (kids like to watch it pop in a glass lidded pot).  I'll have to try the bacon grease addition. :D

Chris

Even better, I had a friend who normally refuses to eat pork. Jewish.. Muslim? Nope.  Vegetarian/Vegan? Nope.

He's just a H.S. Biology teacher that knows about Trichinosis and other pork parasites, and coupled with a bit of OCD, he's afraid to eat it.

I got him to try one kernel and he wound up finishing the bowl. 

[roo_ster]

Also, make some old-school stove-top popcorn with about a TBSP of it for the oil. Yummo..

I can't believe I never thought of that.

[MillCreek]

I can't believe I never thought of that.

And for the finishing touch, season the popcorn with either Bacon Salt or the popcorn seasoning in ranch or cheese flavors.  I am especially fond of the bacon-ranch popcorn.  Although I have found it is cheaper to use a packet of powdered ranch salad dressing as opposed to buying the little jars of ranch popcorn seasoning.  Just like stealing the packet of powdered cheese from the macaroni and cheese boxes is a cheaper way to go.

[bedlamite]

I've never had any problem with leaving it out. My problem is I have more of it than I can use, and I haven't figured out a good way to get rid of it. I've been told that putting it down the garbage disposal is bad, and I'm also not supposed to throw it out with the trash, so I don't know what to do with it.

Freeze it, in the winter mix it with seeds, oats, raisins, etc. and put it in a suet feeder for the birds.

[zahc]

I can start using bacon grease for popcorn, and that will take care of a good tablespoon per week.

I already generate more grease from my bacon and eggs than it takes to cook the eggs. I can't use up any there.

[charby]

Spikes a gumbo roux to 11.

yep on a scale of 1 to 4

[MillCreek]

I can start using bacon grease for popcorn, and that will take care of a good tablespoon per week.

I already generate more grease from my bacon and eggs than it takes to cook the eggs. I can't use up any there.

My bacon dripping storage jar is full, so I just pour the liquid grease into an empty can (soda, tuna, soup, etc.) and then put the can in the trash.  I figure it is way more ecological to get rid of the grease via the landfill than via the sewer system.  Ever since I saw that 'Modern Marvels' episode about what a number grease does on the house drainage system, the sewer system and the sewage treatment plants, I avoid putting grease down the drain.

[TommyGunn]

My mother used to cook up some bacon and save the grease, not for storage, but to use it for pancakes so they wouldn't stick to the griddle. Delicious bacon and delicious pancakes were the result.

[Triphammer]

I mix the extra w/ some grain & feed it to the chickens, Treat for them & extra rich yolks for me

[Brad Johnson]

Gravy!

Brad

[mtnbkr]

I was fixing grits for breakfast this morning and this thread prompted me to try some bacon squeezings in them.

1/2 cup of 5min grits
2 cups water
dash salt
many dashes of black pepper
a couple ounces of grated havarti cheese (had a bit left over from a dish I cooked the other night).
1 teaspoon bacon grease
hot sauce to taste (I used Cholula)

It was quite tasty.  Very savory with a spicy kick.

Chris

[geronimotwo]

i am surprised that the grease would ever go bad with the amount of salt in it.  isn't that the original reason why bacon is smoked and salted salted (for room temp storage)?

I just mix it with a squirt of dish soap and run it down the drain with plenty of hot water. Never had an issue.

i get plenty of drain cleaning work from many who do the same thing.