What does your bacon grease look like? Should I toss this?

[realdocBBQ]

Filtered twice through coffee filters. Still looks pretty dark. Is this burnt too much? Should I toss it?


Of course, this was from homemade bacon, which had a little sugar in the cure - so it's possible the caramelized sugars from cooking it could be contributing to the color, now that I think about it...

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Maybe blasphemy here, but if Im not making gravy with my bacon grease when I generate it... it goes in a tin unfiltered and I use it in my fireplace for the smell or this time of year to help me burn leaves in the fire pit.

All that to say, I use dirtier grease than that to make gravy. I think you might be spot on about the sugar contributing to the color. If it doesn't smell burnt it probably isnt.

[Jerod Broussard]

No bad smell no bad grease.

[OC Sandy]

Give it a smell. If it smells burnt it will taste burnt. Or you could dip the end of a spoon in it and taste. You'll know if it tastes burnt.

[Dan Deter]

I'm pretty sure my wife would laugh at me if I started filtering the bacon grease...

[realdocBBQ]

lol yeah, it was a whim. I thought I would see how clean I could make it look. I shouldn't bother, really.

[FireMan]

Never, ever filtered bacon grease. I must say I never burnt bacon where my grease was dark brown either. Guess I am of no help cept quit filterin around with yer grease.

[IdahoJim]

We saved some bacon grease once. Didn't really use it. When it hardened in the fridge it was white. You may want to see how it looks when it hardens... <shrug>

[realdocBBQ]

In the fridge? lol I thought most of us just left it out on the counter. Hehe... at least mine's in a glass bowl right now, not in a coffee can.

[texastweeter]

Yer fine

[realdocBBQ]

The more I think about it, the more I think the darker color is the caramelized sugars that were in the bacon cure. Have to decide if I want to keep and use it, though - the thing is, not too worried about bacon grease going bad, but sugars sitting out... hmmm.

Not sure it's really worth it anyways.

[Stuey1515]

Got a jar about half full of home made bacon grease in the fridge, unfiltered & no idea how long it's been there. I use it occasionally for frying etc. The core use, is of course frying potato's, I may die of fried potato overdose

[Jfrosty27]

My mom had a tin of it sitting out on the counter next to the stove virtually at all times. Nobody ever got sick. 🤷♂️

[texastweeter]

It's saturated fat...pretty sure even a direct hit with a h bomb wouldn't oxidized it. I have a jar of dry aged beef tallow, a dish of butter, and a can of bacon grease all sitting at room temp. For the record, bear grease is best on taters.

[Murdy]

Perhaps this is more in the nature of a dark roux vs. a light roux? Different flavor but fine to eat?

[Alan Brice]

I try to separate the pork from the beef. When I have a nice amount I will put it in a crock pot on warm then pour off the clear into wide mouth ball/mason jars. These are sealed and put in the garage fridge. The last jar is the most colorful and always gets used first. Never had an issue and Kim has her GB removed so we watch what she eats. But I do the majority of the cooking and if it is CI or the cooktop, this is my go to. Great in beans as well.