I share why bacon grease is GOLD along with the best ways to use it to take many foods and recipes to a whole new level of deliciousness!!!
Bacon grease can replace butter, oil or other fats in recipes. It has a low smoke point, though, so it’s not good for high-heat cooking. But it’s great for roasting, moderate sauteing, and baking. Bacon grease livens up savory dishes, but don’t limit yourself.
Tips for cooking bacon and saving the grease.
- Use your largest baking sheet (I use this extra-large USA ) to cook all the bacon at once. Place one large or two smaller cooking grids (these are an excellent choice ) onto the baking sheet. The bacon will cook evenly and grease will fall onto the pan (and bacon won’t be swimming in grease).
- Line the baking sheet with heavy-duty foil before placing baking grids on the sheet. This will make clean-up way easier.
- I cook most of my bacon in a 400-degree oven. If you are cooking thick-cut bacon, a lower oven temperature works better. I cook thick-cut and uneven bacon at 350 degrees.
- I like to check my bacon after 10–15 minutes of baking. When it’s close to being done, I start checking it every few minutes. Bacon can burn very quickly once it is to the “almost done” stage.
- It works best if you pour the grease out of the pan while it’s still warm. If you’re using a plastic container to hold the grease, make sure to wait until it cools a bit, otherwise, it will warp or melt the plastic.
- If you like, you can flip your bacon halfway through the cooking time and rotate the pan so that it will cook more evenly. Most ovens have hot spots and are also hotter in the back, so this might help make baking more uniform.
How to make your own pre-cooked bacon.
If you want to have bacon (and bacon grease) readily available, consider making your own precooked bacon. In this short video below, I share how to make pre-cooked bacon in the oven to avoid having to make it before guests arrive. After all, even those of us who love bacon are not fans of the lingering smell after cooking it.
Bacon Grease: Better Than Butter?!
FAQ
Can you use bacon grease in place of butter?
Is it better to cook with bacon grease or butter?
Can I use bacon grease instead of butter in mac and cheese?
Can I use bacon grease in baking?
Is bacon grease a good substitute for salted butter?
A tablespoon of bacon fat, on the other hand, has 115.7 calories, 12.8 grams of fat and 19.4 miligrams of sodium. So if you’re watching your sodium intake, bacon grease is actually the lower sodium alternative to salted butter. Unsalted butter would be the lowest-sodium choice.
What are the best substitutes for butter?
The substitute that you might want to use depends on what you are using butter for. In baking you can use any fat such as olive oil, nut butters, or even avocados. In baking you can also substitute non-fats for butter such as Greek yogurt, mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, or even applesauce. For replacing butter as a spread, you can use any fat, hummus, avocado, nut butter, or cheese. For cooking, canola oil can be a great sub, or avocado oil is also good because it has a high smoke point.
Can I substitute bacon grease for bacon butter mayonnaise?
Simply set the mayonnaise out at room temp for a while and it will get soft again. You can also substitute avocado oil or olive for half of the bacon grease to get a softer mayo. Or use half butter, half bacon grease for a bacon butter mayonnaise! I wrote this recipe without mustard since I wanted the bacon flavor to shine.
What is a good substitute for bacon grease?
The best substitutes for bacon grease are chicken or duck fat. Butter and lard also work, but you’ll need to add extra flavor with something like smoked paprika or chipotle. For vegetarian and vegan bacon grease substitutes, try olive oil or vegetable shortening. If you want something with more flavor, try sesame oil. Ready? Let’s jump right in.