I have a George Foreman grill with a receptacle for oil that flows down the grill's inclined surface. I used to throw away the grease from bacon and meats that I grill.

I'm thinking about just collecting the grease for use in frying. The proverbial bacon grease that our great grandmas used to use!

Is this that simple? Just collect and use? Store at room temperature? No refrigeration required? Mixing bacon grease with grease from pork, salmon, beef, etc. ... is this a problem in some way?

Why am I taking this route? Coconut oil is too expensive. I'm on a gluten- and dairy-free diet, so butter is out. I'm debating to take the ghee route but I'm not sure if the "clarified butter" has small amounts of lactose or ghee. Plus, this seems just too economical. Just store in a plastic bin, refrigerate if necessary, and this is better than recycling.

What do people think?

Certainly can use the bacon grease again, not sure how all the grease together would be. I would think it best to strain it while it was still hot. Then it would be just the different flavorings that would be added to what you are cooking.

I usually pour the grease back on the food and eat it as nature intended.

But if there is a lot of grease I save some in a 1 pint glass mason jar (plastic absorbs flavours & scents); I don't strain it - I like the flavoured bits and it is easier not to strain it. If you put it in the fridge, you'll get layered grease. I don't know that I'd want fish oil mixed in with others, but you can store different types in different jars.

I keep all my bacon drippings, although I don't keep the drippings from other meats. I use 1 cup metal "measuring cups" and pint mason jars. I just keep it in the fridge, although seems to be fine if I leave it out for the day. If it would go rancid, keeping it in smaller quantities would keep it from all going bad.

I read somewhere you have to keep it in the fridge. But I do remember when folks left it in the can on the stove that said grease. I'm just being safe and putting it in the refridge. Sure is handy for my green beans.

Donna

I collect it and keep it in a bowl beside my stove. I use it every morning for my eggs.

I don't strain it because I love the bits of bacon in it.

My mom used to save her bacon grease and simply keep it by the stove like I do. I have never had it go rancid on me.

John

I've had my jar on the counter for several months. It has not gone rancid and I use it to cook lean meats. YUM!

PS: I generally don't have a problem with animal fats going rancid once they're "rendered" but all my vegetable oils have gone rancid. Made me go "Hmm" awhile back once I realized this. All the soap I made with animal fats are still good. The soaps I made with vegetable oils or veg oils blended in routinely go rancid if I leave a 5% or more margin of oil after saponification for moisturizing properties. The only vegetable oil that this does NOT happen with is coconut oil. Coconut oil blended with both lard and tallow makes for a nice hard bar of soap that stores forever quite well.

Why do I bring up soap in relationship to fats? To show that my leaving the bacon grease on the counter for months on end has not been problematic in any way, shape or form. Fry on!

we keep ours right beside the stove on the counter. i've never refrigerated it and as far as i know, it's never gone bad. we don't use it daily or sometimes even weekly. now i'm curious how long it would actually take to go bad.

I keep it in a mason jar under the sink. (I don't want to look at it sitting out.) My mom and grandma did the same. I've been using the same jar for years, just adding in and using from it as I need fat or have more to add. It has never gone rancid, and I live in the heat of Dallas, TX.

I don't make bacon often (monthly, maybe), but when I do, I make a few pounds of it in the oven on baking sheets and can fill the jar quite easily with the drippings. Then, I use it to cook eggs, green beans, brussel sprouts, greens, cabbage, etc.

Hmm, I never even thought about doing this. I do remember my mom keeping a can of grease on the stove as well for frying. When I fry my bacon, if it is too much, I will pour out half of it but add butter to fry my eggs, this brings much flavor to my eggs which I don't have to add salt to

Not to go off subject, but what are kale chips?

Just what it sounds like lol. You take kale, cut it up, put salt and I think olive oil on it, and throw it in the oven until it gets crisp and chip like. I think when you cut them up you remove the tough stem? I am not sure about the temp you cook them at though. I think I vaguely remember it being like 400F, but I am not sure. I think some people put Parmesan cheese on theirs as well.

I have actually seen them for sale before, I was kinda shocked!