Saving Fat...

[Wildsky]

When I was a little girl, there were always pyrex measuring cups in the fridge full of the drippings and fat from meals past.. my mother would save the fat to use when preparing the next meal or frying up an egg etc.

As I got older, that grossed me out, I never did it myself. However I'm reading a book (Real food) and realised that perhaps its not a bad idea afterall. However my mom never did anything fancy that I can remember, the cup was never even covered, it was all kinds mixed in as far as I remember, chicken fat with beef and bacon etc. etc.

Does anyone do this? Do you keep the different kinds separated?

is this just a bad idea?

 

[buckeye lady]

Dad has a can by the stove for bacon grease. Granny did the same.
I keep about 1/4 inch of bacon grease in the cast iron skillet, I put the skillet in the oven when it's not in use. If we don't use it all up, I scrape out the old grease and fry a new batch of bacon every 2-3 weeks. Bacon grease keeps pretty well at room temperature-My guess is the high salt content helps with preservation.

I do save broth fat mixture from chicken/beef roasts in a mason jar in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, when I use it I scrape off the fat and discard it then use the broth.

 

[Ldychef2k]

As a result of reading other posts here, I started saving fat. I have a jar each of bacon fat, ham drippings, been fat and chicken fat. The flavor they impart to eggs, for example, is really great. I made a grilled cheese the other day with the ham fat, but it was a little subtle.

My favorite thing to do with bacon fat is to pop popcorn.

 

[ORChick]

My mother kept a nice little stoneware crock beside the stove for bacon fat - my father ate bacon and egg every morning. She used the fat for frying potatoes, or anything else that might be improved with a little bacon flavor. I do the same, but I keep it in the 'fridge - just because this house isn't as cold as the one I grew up in, and we don't eat bacon as often. I will add other pork fat to this crock if I have any. Other fats I save are from poultry - I take out the loose fat from chickens, ducks, or geese (Yummm! Christmas goose on Friday!), render it in the crockpot, and keep it in the freezer. This is great for frying, and, in a pinch, baking. Oh, and I also render pork lard now that I have found a source for good pork; this is the clean white fat used for pastry ... drippings go in the bacon grease pot.

 

[Wildsky]

I will have to try this then I'll start with the bacon fat from Christmas brunch, I will probably cook little pork sausages in the same pan, then save all the fat!

(i'm going to have a very unhappy dog!)

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have been saving and using my fat for over a year now. I use bacon fat when making french toast and eggs etc. What I like the most about it is when you put some in the frying pan for french toast, you don't have to keep adding more fat to the pan. When I used the spray stuff, I had to respray every time I put in more bread. My ds butters his taost with it when he as bacon and eggs. I use chicken fat for alot fo things too. I don't think I would combine the fats though, I just keep separate jars in the fridge.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

fat fat fat fat fat! yes! save it!

when i make stock i skim it off the top and put it into little gladware tubs and LABEL them.. or you'll be standing there saying, geez i wonder what this is.....

then when you make something with chicken you can just open your little "chicken fat" tub and use it with or instead of olive oil (watch the smoking point!).... all kinds of uses. but i store mine in the fridge.

 

[miss_thenorth]

And while bacon fat does last a long time, chicken fat does not--save in smaller batches so you'll use up the older stuff first. I had a jar start moulding on me What a waste!!!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

yep! you can also store 'em in the freezer

(good reminder MTN!)

 

[Wildsky]

fat fat fat fat fat! yes! save it!

when i make stock i skim it off the top and put it into little gladware tubs and LABEL them.. or you'll be standing there saying, geez i wonder what this is.....

then when you make something with chicken you can just open your little "chicken fat" tub and use it with or instead of olive oil (watch the smoking point!).... all kinds of uses. but i store mine in the fridge.

don't those gladware tubs melt with the hot fat? I have at least one old measuring jug (pyrex) but it doesn't have a lid or anything, all the measurments have worn off the dern thing...

I always get tons of fat when I roast a chicken, it also always has goodies in it, onion, garlic, etc... should I try strain it somehow or just throw it all in (minus the bigger bits I can use a fork to hook out).