20 Ways to Use Bacon Grease by Erica

I’m going to go ahead and admit: I haven’t always been a bacon grease saver. For many years I couldn’t be bothered with trying to store it. But then I wrote a post about How to Cook Bacon in the Oven, and some of you were shocked to find out that I would ever throw out such a precious substance. It got me thinking: what could I use bacon grease for? And I soon began to appreciate it for what it is: an amazing flavor booster.

Today I’m going to share 20 delicious ways that you can use up leftover bacon grease. Let’s dive in!

 
 

1. Roast vegetables

Instead of drizzling your vegetables with olive oil before roasting, plop some bacon grease in the pan. Make sure to pull the pan out of the oven and give it a good stir after the bacon grease has melted.

 
 

2. Fry Burgers

If you’re pan-frying your burgers, you can use a bit of bacon grease in the pan to flavor them.

 
 

3. Pop popcorn

Use my method for making stovetop popcorn but substitute bacon grease for the oil.

 
 

4. Fry grilled cheese

For an out-of-this-world-delicious grilled cheese sandwich, try frying it in bacon grease instead of butter!

 
 

5. Biscuits

Since bacon grease turns solid when cold, you can use it to replace half of the butter in your favorite biscuit recipe.

 
 

6. Fry hash browns

Hash browns + bacon grease is a match made in heaven!

 
 

7. Spread on pizza crust

To lend flavor and a crispy texture to your pizza crust, try brushing it with bacon grease before topping!

 
 

8. Use as a gravy base

You could use bacon grease as a base for any gravy, but it’s especially yummy in a sausage gravy for Biscuits and Gravy.

 
 

9. Cornbread

Use my Masa Harina Cornbread, but replace all or part of the butter with bacon grease.

 
 

10. Spread on BLT toast

When you’re making a BLT, save some of the grease from the bacon and spread it on warm toast instead of butter to enhance the bacon flavor.

 
 

11. Baconnaise

Use my method for making mayonnaise, but replace all or part of the oil with melted bacon grease. You won’t regret it!

 
 

12. Savory scones

I love that Meseidy uses bacon grease in her Bacon Cheddar Scones recipe. You could use solid bacon grease in place of part of the butter in other savory scone recipes as well.

 
 

13. Season cast iron

After you wash your cast iron, dry it over medium heat on the stove. While the pan is still hot, add some bacon grease and rub it in with a paper towel or dedicated cast iron cloth.

 
 

14. Fry eggs

My dad taught me this one: Use some bacon grease when frying eggs for amazing flavor, but add a bit of butter as well to keep the egg from sticking. I’m not sure if the butter really is more non-stick, but that’s what my dad always did!

 
 

15. Mashed potatoes

Stir some bacon grease into mashed potatoes—this would be particularly good in loaded baked potato mashed potatoes!

 
 

16. Fried rice

Next time you make fried rice, try frying it in bacon grease! This would be awesome for breakfast fried rice.

 
 

17. Pie crust

You can replace part of the butter in a pie crust with bacon grease for a more savory flavor. This is amazing in my Sourdough Pie Crust recipe. So yummy for pot pies!

 
 

18. Quesadillas

Make a mean breakfast quesadilla by frying it in bacon grease!

 
 

19. Omelettes

Use my method for making an omelette, but fry it in bacon grease instead of butter!

 
 

20. Soup base

Saute the veggies for your soup in bacon grease, or use it to make the roux as a base for your soup. This would be perfect for Potato and Bacon Soup!

 
 

So there you have it: 20 ways to use up bacon grease! If you have any ideas of your own, please share with us in the comments!