How long can I reuse this delicious bacon grease for cooking?
I cooked some bacon about a week ago and left the grease in the pan. I've used it the last two nights with great success for cooking other meals.
How long is it safe to reuse? I figure since I'm heating it up to a million degrees each time I use it it's probably pretty safe, but.... I'd rather not get food poisoning.
Best Answer
Is it safe? maybe. Is it recommended? No.
If you're going to save bacon grease (or other fats), I'd recommend:
- straining it
- putting it into a different container to minimize the surface area exposed to air
- keeping the container in the fridge.
Although, the first one, I admit I don't do -- as I'm not cooking bacon every day, I've generally used up my supply by the time I've got more ... so I fill a glass jar, and let solids settle to the bottom ... then just use the stuff off the top as I need it, until I get so far down the jar that I hit the darker strata, when I then dispose of the whole thing. (I recycle jars for this, then pitch the whole thing ... you don't want to go washing bacon grease down the drain, it does nasty things to your pipes)
...
If you're going to do what you are, you'll want to make sure that you hold the pan at 250°F (121°C) for at least three minutes, preferably longer, to kill off botulism spores, unless you're fond of that whole paralysis thing.
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How long can you save bacon grease for cooking?
How Long Does Bacon Grease Last? Store your container in the fridge where it will last for three months, or in the freezer where it will last indefinitely. Storing the grease in the fridge is the best for easy access to soft fat whenever you want it.How long can you reuse bacon grease?
Although many of us grew up with relatives who stored their bacon grease in a jar or can set on the counter or on the back of the stovetop, food safety experts don't recommend storing it that way now. Instead, store the grease in the refrigerator (up to 3 months) or freezer (indefinitely).Can you reuse bacon grease to cook?
Last but not least, once you've used the stored bacon grease for cooking, don't try to save it and reuse it. It will take some of the flavors of what you are cooking and lose some of its own. Plus there will be some microbes that might cause the fat to go rancid. Just discard it after use.Can you save bacon grease to cook with later?
You don't want those in your bacon grease; when you cook with it later, they'll burn and impart a bitter flavor to your food. As a bonus, removing the solids means it'll last for just about forever in your fridge. Because bacon grease is solid at room temperature, keep that in mind and be smart in how you use it.Cooking Lesson: Saving Bacon Grease and Reusing Cooking Oil
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Answer 2
I reckon that as long as it doesn't start smelling bad (AKA goes rancid) , it's good.
In the olden days, people would store food by covering it with fat as a way of preserving when there was no refrigeration available.
And by the way, good for you for following the 3 Rs: reuse, recycle, and be a cheapskate.
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