Using bacon fat instead of oil is a common cooking substitution that can work in many recipes. Bacon fat adds great flavor to dishes, and it’s easy to save the rendered fat after cooking bacon to use later. However, there are some important things to consider before replacing oil with bacon fat. In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of cooking with bacon fat and when it works best as an oil substitute. We’ll also dive into the differences between bacon fat and oils, nutrition and smoke points, how to properly render and store bacon fat, and recipes where bacon fat shines. Read on for the complete guide to cooking and baking with bacon fat instead of oils!
Quick Answer
Yes, you can use bacon fat in place of oil or butter in many recipes. Bacon fat has a rich, meaty flavor that can enhance vegetables, eggs, grains, and more. However, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind:
– Bacon fat has a lower smoke point than most cooking oils, around 350°F-375°F. Don’t use it for high-heat cooking like stir-frying or searing.
– The saturated fat content is higher than vegetable/seed oils. Use bacon fat sparingly if trying to limit saturated fats.
– Store rendered bacon fat in the fridge up to 1 month or freeze up to 6 months. Melt before using in recipes.
– Bacon fat works great for sautéing veggies, frying eggs, roasting potatoes, baking, and more. Start by replacing just half the oil to test it out.
– Bacon fat can go rancid quicker than oils. Discard if it smells unpleasant or tastes bitter.
So in short, yes you can use bacon fat for cooking and baking, just account for its distinct flavor and lower smoke point compared to standard cooking oils. Start by substituting half the oil in recipes to see if you like the results.
Bacon Fat vs. Oils: Key Differences
Before substituting bacon fat in place of oil, it’s helpful to understand the key differences:
Flavor
– Bacon fat has a smoky, meaty, umami flavor from the cured and smoked pork.
– Oils have neutral or mild flavors that don’t compete with other ingredients.
Smoke Point
– Bacon fat smoke point: 350°F-375°F
– Vegetable/seed oil smoke points: 400°F-450°F+
Fat Breakdown
| Fat Type | Polyunsaturated | Monounsaturated | Saturated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bacon Fat | 9% | 49% | 42% |
| Vegetable Oil | 61% | 28% | 11% |
– Bacon fat is higher in saturated fat than vegetable/seed oils.
– Vegetable oils have more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
Shelf Life
– Bacon fat lasts 1 month in the fridge, 6 months in the freezer.
– Oils last several months in the pantry, over a year refrigerated.
So in summary, bacon fat differs from standard cooking oils in its strong pork flavor, lower smoke point, higher saturated fat content, and shorter shelf life. Keep these key differences in mind when using it in place of oil.
Nutrition Profile
Here is how the nutrition of bacon fat compares per tablespoon:
| Nutrient | Bacon Fat | Vegetable Oil |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 115 | 120 |
| Total Fat | 13g | 14g |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 2g |
| MUFAs | 6g | 9g |
| PUFAs | 1g | 3g |
Key takeaways:
– Calories and total fat are similar between bacon fat and vegetable oil.
– Bacon fat contains more saturated fat.
– Vegetable oil has more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
– Bacon fat has no protein or carbs, while vegetable oils have trace amounts.
So bacon fat packs a lot of flavorful fat into each tablespoon. It can enhance the taste of foods beautifully, just be mindful of the higher saturated fat amount compared to vegetable oils.
Smoke Point Differences
One of the most important differences between bacon fat and oils is their smoke points.
The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil or fat starts burning and smoking. Heating fat above its smoke point results in changes to the nutritional quality and flavor.
Here are typical smoke points for bacon fat and common cooking oils:
| Cooking Fat | Smoke Point |
|---|---|
| Bacon fat | 350°F-375°F |
| Butter | 350°F |
| Coconut oil | 350°F |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 325°F-375°F |
| Avocado oil | 520°F |
| Vegetable oil | 400°F-450°F |
| Grapeseed oil | 420°F |
| Peanut oil | 450°F |
As you can see, bacon fat’s smoke point is on the lower end, similar to butter and coconut oil. This means bacon fat is not well suited for high-heat cooking methods like:
– Deep frying
– Stir frying over high heat
– Searing meats
– Broiling
For these high-heat cooking methods, it’s best to stick with oils like avocado, vegetable, grapeseed, or peanut oil. Their higher smoke points allow heating to very high temperatures without burning.
Bacon fat is better suited for lower temperature cooking, such as:
– Sauteing over medium heat
– Frying eggs
– Roasting veggies
– Baking
– Pan frying
When using bacon fat, keep the stovetop heat at medium or medium low to prevent it from smoking and burning. For baking, temperatures up to about 375°F will be safe.
How to Render and Store Bacon Fat
Before you can start cooking and baking with bacon fat, you’ll need to render and collect it. Here’s a simple process:
Step 1: Cook the bacon
Cook your bacon slices until crispy by pan frying, baking, or microwaving. Allow the cooked bacon to cool slightly.
Step 2: Drain and collect the fat
Once cooled, transfer the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Then carefully pour the hot bacon grease through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth and into a heatproof container.
This will strain out any bacon bits, leaving you with pure liquid fat.
Step 3: Refrigerate or freeze
Allow the bacon fat to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge or freezer. Bacon fat will keep for up to 1 month refrigerated and 6 months frozen.
Step 4: Use as needed
When ready to use, scoop out the solidified bacon fat. Melt it over low heat in a saucepan or microwave at 30 second intervals until just liquefied. Use immediately, just like you would any cooking oil.
Proper rendering and storage helps prevent bacon fat from going rancid prematurely. Always smell and taste bacon fat before using – if it has an unpleasant odor or bitter taste it has spoiled and should be discarded.
With just a few minutes of prep time, you’ll have bacon fat ready to enhance all sorts of savory dishes!
Recipes Using Bacon Fat
Here are some delicious ways to use rendered bacon fat in place of oils or butter:
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
Melt 1-2 Tbsp bacon fat in a skillet over medium heat. Add halved Brussels sprouts and sauté until lightly browned and tender, 7-10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of vinegar.
Parsley Potatoes
Boil 1 lb new potatoes until tender. Drain and toss hot potatoes with 3 Tbsp melted bacon fat, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.
Bacon Fat Fried Rice
Stir fry rice in 1-2 Tbsp hot bacon fat instead of oil. Add veggies and protein of choice. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.
Bacon Fat Biscuits
Cut 6 Tbsp cold bacon fat into the dry biscuit ingredients. Proceed with recipe as normal. Adds great flavor!
Sausage Gravy
Make a basic sausage gravy by cooking crumbled sausage in bacon fat instead of oil, then whisking in milk and flour. Serve over biscuits.
Bacon Fat Roasted Chicken
Brush rendered bacon fat over a whole chicken or chicken pieces before roasting for incredible flavor.
Bacon Fat Popcorn
Pop popcorn on the stovetop in 2-3 Tbsp hot bacon fat. Sprinkle with salt for perfect movie-night snack.
These recipes give you an idea of how infusing dishes with bacon fat’s rich, smoky flavor can take them to the next level. Start by substituting just half the butter or oil called for, and increase from there to taste.
Conclusion
While bacon fat may seem indulgent, using small amounts adds big flavor with minimal downsides. Its lower smoke point does limit high-heat cooking applications, but bacon fat excels at sautéing, frying eggs, baking, roasting veggies and potatoes, and so much more.
Rendering and storing bacon fat takes just a few easy steps, yielding a cooking fat that outshines plain oils and butter in taste. Just keep portion sizes in check, as bacon fat is high in saturated fat. But overall, don’t be afraid to cook and bake with bacon fat instead of ordinary fats – your taste buds will thank you!