Keep the fat!!
Saving bacon fat is an old-school kitchen trick with many benefits for cooking and homesteading. Here’s why you should keep it instead of tossing it:
1. Incredible Flavor
Bacon fat adds a rich, smoky, slightly salty flavor to anything you cook. It’s perfect for frying eggs, roasting vegetables, sautéing greens, and even gravy.
2. Versatile Cooking Fat
It works as a substitute for butter or oil in most recipes, especially for frying or baking. Think biscuits, cornbread, or even pie crusts—bacon fat gives them a delicious depth of flavor.
3. Reduces Waste
If you're already cooking bacon, why waste an excellent resource? It's a sustainable way to use every part of your cooking, which aligns with a homesteading lifestyle.
4. Free and Convenient
Instead of buying expensive oils, you have a free, high-quality fat source from cooking bacon. Plus, it stores well and is always ready to use.
5. Great for Seasoning Cast Iron
Bacon fat helps keep cast iron skillets well-seasoned, preventing rust and maintaining a slick, nonstick surface.
6. Homemade Pet Treats & Livestock Feed Additive
A little bit mixed into homemade dog treats or livestock feed can be a tasty (and calorie-dense) treat in cold weather—just be mindful of how much you use.
7. Preserves Well
If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, bacon fat lasts for months. You can also freeze it for even longer storage.
8. Perfect for Homesteaders
Since you raise and process your meat, using the fat makes the most of your resources. If you’re working toward charcuterie, it could also be helpful in some traditional curing and confit methods.
