The house I grew up in always had an MJB coffee can under the sink – with no lid I might add. And I think it was years before I realized it was what my mom stored her bacon grease in. I’d watch her carefully pour liquid into the can, and put it back under the sink. And because a handful of cleaning supplies were also down there, I assumed it was to be thrown out at some point, perhaps after it solidified. We know pouring hot grease down a sink is a bad idea because it can clog your drains like hardened arteries.  In fact a few years ago city workers in London, England discovered a 15 ton, bus-sized lump of grease in the sewer system. Gross. 

Bacon stuffed mushrooms

But I digress…anyway as a kid I of course had no appreciation for the magic that a spoonful of the beige stuff could create, but all that’s changed. 

I keep my bacon grease in the fridge, and use it whenever it makes sense – you’d be so surprised at how a little bit can make a huge changed. But it’s not about making everything taste like bacon. It’s about adding a little extra flavor to whatever you’re making. Instead of just using oil or butter to sauté veggies, I’ll add a teaspoon of bacon grease. Scallops seared with a little of the magic is quite unbelievable. And of course it transforms when cooking any kind of egg dish.

And because I want you to have your own bacon grease, here are a few tips for collecting and storing:  

•  Let it cool down enough in the pan so you can handle it without burning yourself.

• Choose a container to store in – Ceramic is good as is glass, like a mason jar.

• Pour the grease, once cool through a piece of cheesecloth or even a couple sheets of paper towels into your container to strain out any teeny bits that might be there. This isn’t crucial, but you’ll end up with nicer looking grease.

• Refrigerate - I like keeping mine in the refrigerator. It’ll stay for about six months, and can easily scoop some out when needed. The freezer will hold longer, like maybe 10 months but then it’s hard to get a little bit out when needed. 

Bacon wrapped scallops

But the real point is: start saving and start using. You’ll be glad you did.