How long do bacon drippings last

When the bacon strips are nicely browned and crispy, use tongs or a fork to lift them out of the pan and place them on paper towels to absorb the excess fat on a plate. Pour the remaining fat in the pan into a jar, and put the jar into your refrigerator. The bacon grease will solidify to a slightly off-color white. When you cook bacon again, pull out the jar and add more of the excess fat to it. If you want, you can strain out the solid bacon bits before pouring the fat into a jar. I find that these bits have plenty of flavor, so I don't bother to strain them.

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Serving 1 serving. Yield 1 strip. These are only estimates and you should always check your grease for signs of spoilage before using it. In general, we would say bacon grease lasts weeks at room temperature and months in the refrigerator.

Because bacon grease is an animal product, you should never risk consuming rancid or even suspected spoiled products. There are a couple of very obvious signs when bacon grease has gone bad, but then there are also some less obvious signs:.

The first and most noticeable sign of spoiled bacon grease is the odor. Spoiled bacon grease has an extremely noticeable rancid, sour smell. The second very noticeable change is the color. It will turn from its milky white to a yellowish , and sometimes even brown color. Other signs of spoiled bacon grease are changes in its texture.

The bacon grease sometimes becomes crumbly, moldy, or watery. Which one exactly depends on the bacteria present in the grease.

This is the reason it is important to strain your grease and remove any solid particles if you plan on storing it for a long time.

These pieces can introduce bacteria, causing rapid spoilage. Expired animal products can cause serious food poisoning, even death in extreme cases. If you suspect the bacon grease being spoiled, rather throw it out. Once you have rendered the bacon and placed your liquid fat into glass jars, you have to allow the fat to cool completely, uncovered meaning no jar lids and no plastic lids before even considering storage. When storing warm foods that are sealed, it creates an optimum environment for harmful bacteria to thrive and cause the food item to spoil, which can lead to serious food poisoning.

No matter which storage method you choose, make sure the container stays away from bright, direct light, air so it should always stay sealed , and moisture which can happen due to condensation when storing in hot areas. You can store your bacon grease quickly and easily by sticking it in the fridge.

Bacon grease can be stored at room temperature, but keep in mind the shelf-life will be considerably shorter compared to storing it in the fridge. The storing method is exactly the same, but rather than placing it in the refrigerator, you can place it in the pantry or food cupboard. Keep the container away from heat sources so do not store it next to a microwave, oven, stove-top, or even next to the fridge. Keep it away from direct sunlight and light sources. Bacon grease is an extremely versatile ingredient — just as versatile as any other cooking oil or fat.

It is mostly used to fry, brown, and cook foods like meats, vegetables, and even herbs and spices, but it can also be used in other cooking ways. You can also use it when roasting meats or vegetables, as it adds a wonderful smoky flavor. If you were raised in the South or raised by someone who was , one of the first kitchen lessons you might have learned is to never pour bacon grease or drippings down the drain.

Not only because hardened fats will create a plumbing nightmare, bacon grease is a precious ingredient, almost as important as the bacon itself. Bacon grease adds savory, smoky depth to all kinds of recipes : skillet cornbread, succotash , buttermilk biscuits, pastas, and just about any type of cooked vegetable, to name a few. To safely store bacon grease, you must first get rid of any small bits of bacon that are left behind.

Place a coffee filter over the mouth of a glass container, like a Mason jar.