Fat From Cooking

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Often when I cook breakfast sausages, I put 3-4 dozen in the oven and then refrigerate the left-overs to be quickly heated in the microwave. In the oven, a lot of fat / grease comes out in the baking pan. It is liquid form when taken out of the oven and turns solid when it cools.

Last night, I did something similar with a pork loin that I had gotten. Pre-cooked weight was almost 9.5 lbs. I put it in a large roasting pan and cooked it. Leftovers were cut up and put in the refrigerator for later microwaving. The same thing happened with fat / grease, though... I have a thick layer of liquid grease in the bottom of the pan when I took it out.

The question is - what does everyone do with this grease? I cut up my pork loin into slices for convenience later, and I briefly soaked each slice in the fat before bagging up and putting in the fridge. But there is still a lot left and I feel bad throwing this stuff out. Next time I cook a batch of sausages or a pork loin (or whatever), I would like to have a plan to use the grease.

A quick google search found some ideas ranging from a bird feeder to using to grease the pan for future cooking. In my mind, I thought it could be watered down for a soup broth, but the internet I'm supposed to refine it first (this process looked rather intimidating). I haven't yet gotten to making a bone broth, but it is also on my list... these meats just don't have bones in them.

What do you do with leftover fat / grease? It feels wasteful to throw it away.

sammyliftsandeats

My mother used to collect leftover animal fat/grease in a jar and then use a spoonful at a time for the frying pan to make eggs or to cook veggies in it.

It solidifies as it cools but you can still scoop it. It's common to do that with the grease from cooking bacon.

Foamroller

I strain it in a fine mesh sieve and keep it in a jar in the fridge. I use it for frying stuff like new batches of bacon, eggs or vegs. Saves money, cause less need for CO

RowdysLady

I often think about doing this, yet I never do. I just dispose of it. I know it's good fat to keep and use and should do exactly that. I could save tons on butter for sure! Plus the flavor it gives foods like eggs! Yum!!

redimock

I save bacon grease in the fridge for cooking oil, but I hadn't thought of doing that with other fats - although I guess I never accumulate a ton of others while cooking. So much bacon grease though!

Sarahb29

I save bacon grease. Anything I don't want goes into the compost bin. Just don't dump it down the sink!

ladipoet

Yes indeed, save it, store it and us it in the future to add healthy fat and great taste to other foods you cook!

nicsflyingcircus

I strain bacon grease and keep it in a mason jar in the fridge. I seldom cook sausage (not a big fan of breakfast style). When I pan fry burgers or cook roasts, I pour the fat back over the meat.

LINIA

We only save bacon grease and use it to flavor veggies. However, since quite a bit of bacon is cooked in our home, we don't save it all.

Bacon grease really adds to the flavor of cooked greens, kale, turnips, collars etc and also add in quickly fried salted pork.....very good results.

Cheesy567

I strain it through a coffee filter and store in the fridge. Pork lard cooks differently than beef tallow, so I separate the two. Duck fat is fantastic if you ever roast a duck.

You can easily render the fat by heating it gently over low heat until all the water boils off. Then filter, refridgerate if you want (I do). It's less likely to go rancid if you render it.

Cheesy567

Whatever you do, don't rinse it down the drain, though! Scrape into the trash.

bjwoodzy

Bacon grease makes eggs taste 3000% better! I'm not nuts about the strong protein-y flavor of eggs...I scramble them in some bacon fat (about 1-2 tsp) and it really makes the difference. Love to add a few tiny slivers of onion and mushroom and tiny chopped pieces of fresh tomato to my scrambled eggs, top with cheese, BAM! Love on a plate.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I'm seeing a lot of people say they use it to grease a pan for other foods... but does anyone just put it in a stew, watered down with vegetables? I would have way too much to use it just for greasing pans.

Foamroller

midwesterner85 wrote: »

I'm seeing a lot of people say they use it to grease a pan for other foods... but does anyone just put it in a stew, watered down with vegetables? I would have way too much to use it just for greasing pans.

Yes as add-on to soups and stews or olive oil. At least I do, it tastes better
They even talk about fat as the 6th taste now:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26631596

http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2015/Q3/research-confirms-fat-is-sixth-taste-names-it-oleogustus.html

In French cuisine they often finish a sauce putting a big dollop of butter into it. It makes it taste creamy and lush.

KarlynKeto

Cheesy567 wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't rinse it down the drain, though! Scrape into the trash.

My thoughts too! Think of your plumbing! This is a quick way to clog those pipes. We have a rental house and we have a clause in our contract for all tenants -- no dumping grease down the drains!!! Let it cool, scrape it in the trash if you don't plan to use it later.

KnitOrMiss

I save the jars from my cooking/eating to pour the grease into for disposal so it doesn't get the trash or anything all gross.