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Brussel sprouts sauteed in bacon fat is one of my favorite things on earth.

calorie-wise, it's the same as olive oil (i was shocked to find this out). in terms of the kind of fat, it's probably worse. i like to use it to grease the pan for cornbread, or to sautee greens like chard (every time i do this my bf asks why they're so delicious... not telling!)

It's also great for seasoning cast iron pans

@jjd34- very informative site, thanks.

My goodness, if it's gross, many folks have 3 or more generations of grossness in their families! Many years ago I can remember having coffee cans full of bacon grease, since it was for every breakfast for my then-husband. Much more than I could use. But it was commonly used in the household I grew up in for things like frying pork chops and chicken, anywhere you might use cooking oil (I am sure, however, that my mother never used it for cakes.)

@pooch...I had that just last night!
I LOVE bacon grease! I have a can on my stove at all times. I use it for almost every kind of frying except deep frying. I use peanut oil for that.

I use it in place of (or in addition to) butter or olive oil in making pasta sauces, creamy or otherwise (yes, I know it's not the healthiest thing in the world)... it gives a smoky hint to the dish!

If there's any smell better than sizzling bacon, it's garlic being sauteed in bacon fat!

i keep a little jar of it in my frige at all times and use it (sparingly) when i want to fry and egg or add a bit of flavor to some green beans or a tablespoon or so into my homemade honey mustard dressing. It makes all the difference in the world. But... as other posters have said it's not the 'healthy' kind of fat so i do use it sparingly.

Call it "exra virgin bacon oil". You'll feel better.

I keep a jar of bacon fat and a jar of chicken schmaltz in my fridge. I use both for flavor, and my arteries are just fine. as everyone says MODERATION! I've used it is green beans that were frozen and it really helps give them a little more flavor, fresh dont need the help for me. I've also mixed it into carmalized onions and topped a baked potato with that mix. Basically anywhere you need a little richness and extra flavor, use it.

Bacon Grease is Gold!! I use it to saute just about anything that I want to add an extra depth of flavor to. It's an essential part of my chicken n dumplings, which are to die for. A good Southern cook (and any chef worth a hoot) never throws out bacon grease! I store mine in the fridge in a glass container.

Bacon grease can be a game-changer in some dishes. For example, Mr. Susquehanna claimed not to like eggplant parmesan. He said, "no way," "nasty." But he sure did enjoy it pan fried in olive oil with a touch of bacon grease!

It makes vegetables so delicious. Please keep it. Just use it sparingly.

Refried beans! It makes the absolute best refries ever.

I use it in Chex Mix for part of the oil. Delish!

I keep bacon grease in the fridge and recently made a killer hot bacon dressing over spinach salad with it...and at the time didn't even have bacon to put in it. It is that good. We all know our mom's had it in the fridge when we were kids. She was on to something then.

I have this same problem! I made a ton of bacon for BLT's and on a whim, saved the grease. One idea was homesick texan's refried beans, another was following robert rodriguez's (he was the director of tarantino film grindhouse) video for making tortillas. also I remember my friend using it to make fried chicken. as long as you know what you're putting in your food, you shouldn't feel too bad about eating it.
I'm pretty sure it's popeye's / KFC's secret ingredient anyway.
@ merlot - the popcorn idea sounds awesome. What do you season the popcorn with after? just salt?

I've used bacon grease when making popcorn, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, pan-fried potatoes and even bread, and it's been simply spectacular in all instances. Interestingly, the bread didn't turn out "bacon-flavoured" at all, but it added something to it that I couldn't quite put my finger on, in a good way.

How long do you keep extra virgin bacon oil in the refrigerator? What about freezing it? I've frozen bacon, so I would imagine the renderings can be frozen as well? I usually toss it from the fridge after a couple of weeks, but I wonder if it keeps longer?

@Perk - I've frozen drippings from roasted poultry, I don't see why you can't do the same with bacon grease. I'm quite certain though that it can be stored in the fridge pretty much indefinitely.

I like to use it for browning meat that will go into a braise, like a pot roast or carbonnade.

I am never without my jar of bacon grease in the fridge - everytime I cook bacon I just add the new grease. It surely makes those "good for you veggies" taste yummy!

we use it for homefries, onion soup, veggies, starting a chowder,and monkey bread to name a few.

a mexican rest. i go to uses it for fried calamari

It adds something a little different to fried rice dishes too.

Bacon grease keeps forever in the fridge...as in at least 10 years. Just ask Pioneer Woman. (thepioneerwoman.com)

Bacon grease is amazing, do not throw it away. When I cook cheeseburgers on my stove top in a pan I grease the pan with the bacon fat. It adds such great flavor to the meat. I use it to grease the pan when cooking eggs at times. It just adds such great flavor when used in place of oils at times.

When I was a kid my parents always had a can on the stove as did my grandparents..... we had it prettymuch everyway mentioned above. The thing I was surprised to see was that nobody has buttered their toast with it! My father used to butter my brothers and my toast with on occasion. He did this until "food science" said that margarine was much better for you....

I keep bacon grease for making pancakes or making fried cabbage, just for flavor

My mom and I both keep a mason jar with bacon grease in the freezer. Makes all greens taste so much better! It just has such a depth in flavor that is hard to replicate easily.

I love an over easy egg sizzled in hot bacon fat for breakfast. Or in a dressing for wilted spinach salad. It doesn't take much.

i have read in several places that pig fat is actually less harmful than crisco. it's all about moderation, anyway.

i don't eat meat anymore, but i used to fry flour tortillas in bacon fat until they were brown and puffy and crunchy. that was some delicious!

@cupcakelust: I recently learned how to clarify bacon fat from a quoted M.F.K. Fisher passage in The Bacon Cookbook by James Villas.

Fisher recommended filling a metal coffee can with some water, pouring in the hot bacon grease and then refrigerating the can. As the grease cools in the can, the little bits will descend into the water on the bottom and the white grease will rise to the top. It works like a charm.

I am surprised no one came up with this...I don't know where I got the idea...I think an old German neighbor. Melt about 3 tbl or more of cold bacon grease--depending on size of pan but it works best with no more than 6 in a pan) in cast iron skillet until almost smoking (at least a #9--I don't think another kind of pan will work the same way!). Quickly add hamburger or hot dog bun bottoms and tops (this is the best way to use up old stale buns that I throw in the freezer just for this reason) and WATCH CAREFULLY....they will burn quickly. Make sure they are browning evenly. Remove at once, sprinkle with a little salt and serve immediately while still hot. Once they cool...not at all the same flavor or consistency! I've never found the spelling but my friend called it Schtipp Bread--at home we call it 'fried bun bottoms'. Any suggestions about how to spell or find derivation?