Bacon makes everything better, but does bacon grease? The topic is a hot one on Reddit, with users sharing hundreds of unique ways to use bacon fat to make other dishes. Instead of tossing the grease next time you fry up a pan of bacon, give one of these recipes a whirl. Let us know how it turns out. (And if you need inspiration for cooking bacon to get started, check out these amazing bacon dishes across America.)
Make a Roux
Bacon grease is the perfect roux starter. It’s got the fattiness you need to achieve the right texture, plus the added bonus of a salty, smoky flavor that you won’t find with butter. Redditors suggested bacon grease roux as a segway to dishes like mac and cheese, potato soup, and in one particularly delicious-sounding rendition: sausage gravy.
Add It to Refried Beans
Redditors are in resounding agreement: Bacon grease belongs in refried beans. From the consistency to the flavor, this combo just makes sense. As one commenter put it, bacon grease refried beans are the “truth to life.”
Use it to Wilt Greens
Whether dandelion, collard, or mustard, greens wilted in bacon grease are comfort food at its finest. You can also use the leftover bacon fat to make a dressing — specifically, lettuce with hot bacon dressing, as one Redditor suggested.
Roast Veggies With It
If you’re going to eat a plate full of roasted vegetables, you might as well sprinkle a little indulgence in because, well, you’ve earned it. Toss your veggies in bacon grease before roasting. The flavor will be immaculate.
Fry Eggs in It
This might be the most convenient bacon grease gesture of all. Cook your bacon first. Wrap it in foil to keep it warm and then use some of your reserved bacon grease to fry a few eggs. You won’t be sorry.
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Use It to Make Tortillas
Instead of just suggesting bacon grease as an ingredient in homemade tortillas, one good Samaritan Redditor shared a full-fledged recipe. All you need is flour, water, bacon grease, baking powder, and salt, and you can make fresh tortillas from the comfort of your own skillet. Glorious.
Fry Potatoes in It
Oh, baby. Grab a few of your favorite seasonings, coat some diced potatoes with them, heat up some bacon grease in a skillet, and toss those bad boys in. Cook ’em until they’re nice and crispy, then die and go to heaven.
Use It to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies
In a head-scratching, yet admittedly intriguing suggestion, one Redditor said that substituting 1/4 of the butter used to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies with bacon grease “adds a subtle savory flavor that boosts the chocolate chips.”
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Use It to Cook Fried Rice
If you’re someone who likes ham in your fried rice, try throwing some bacon grease in, too. Bacon and egg fried rice is another mashup dish that Redditors swear by.
Use It to Make a Grilled Cheese
Yes. So much yes. If there are three inherently delicious ingredients that are universally loved and appreciated, they’ve got to be cheese, bread, and bacon. Cooking a grilled cheese in bacon grease is the right thing to do.
