Bacon Grease: To Pan Or Not?

When cooking bacon, you do not need to grease the pan with oil, butter, or cooking spray. Bacon is a fatty cut of meat and, although it may initially stick to the pan, it will release its fat as it cooks and will stop sticking.

No need to grease the pan

There is no need to grease the pan when cooking bacon. Bacon is a fatty cut of meat and contains enough fat itself to prevent sticking. As the bacon cooks, the fat will render and the bacon will naturally release from the pan.

When cooking bacon, it is best to start with a cold pan. This will allow the fat to slowly liquify, making for bacon that is perfectly crisp. If you add bacon to a hot pan, it will immediately seize up, sealing in all of the congealed, unrendered fat.

It is also important to cook the bacon on medium or medium-low heat. This will ensure that the bacon cooks through without burning. Cooking bacon on low heat also gives you more control over the final texture of the bacon. If you like your bacon loose, you can pull it off the heat sooner. If you like it super crisp, you can cook it a little longer.

If you are cooking a lot of bacon, it is best to cook it in batches. After removing the bacon from the pan, let the grease cool slightly, then dispose of it before adding more bacon to the pan.

When you are done cooking, you will likely have some leftover fat in the pan. This can be saved and used for future kitchen projects or to season a cast-iron pan.

Bacon should be started in a cold pan

When cooking bacon, it is best to start with a cold pan. This is because the fat in the bacon will render slowly as the pan heats up, allowing the bacon to cook more evenly. If you put bacon in a hot pan, the fatty parts will seize up and become flabby.

To cook bacon, first remove it from the fridge at least 15 minutes before cooking. Then, place the strips of bacon in a cold pan. You can place them so they are touching, but avoid overcrowding the pan. Turn the burner on low. As the bacon cooks, the fat will begin to render and the bacon will release from the pan. When the bacon starts to buckle and curl, use tongs to loosen the strips and turn each slice to cook on the other side. Keep flipping and turning the bacon so that it browns evenly.

If your pan is filling up with grease, you can carefully remove some of it by suctioning it off with a bulb baster or spooning it off with a metal spoon. Be very careful when removing grease from the pan, as spilled grease can cause a grease fire. Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, transfer it to paper towels to drain. If you are cooking more bacon, drain the excess grease and add more to the pan.

Bacon is full of natural fats

Bacon is a fatty cut of meat, and while it may initially stick to the pan, the fat will render and the bacon will release itself from the pan. Therefore, there is no need to grease the pan with oil, butter, or cooking spray before placing the bacon in the pan.

The amount of fat in bacon can vary depending on the type of bacon. For example, pork bacon has about 3.1 grams of fat per slice, while turkey bacon has 2.1 grams. Similarly, pork bacon has about 43 calories per slice, while turkey bacon has 30.

When cooking bacon, it is important to use a sturdy pan and cook the bacon low and slow. This will allow the fat to render gradually and prevent the bacon from burning. It is also important to turn the bacon regularly to ensure even cooking. Once the bacon is cooked to your desired level of crispness, transfer it to paper towels to drain and absorb the excess grease.

Save the bacon grease for later use

When cooking bacon, you should never pour the grease down the drain as it can cause plumbing issues. Instead, let the grease cool slightly in the pan, then pour it into a glass jar or a plastic container. You can then store the jar in the fridge or freezer and use the grease in place of olive oil, ghee, or other cooking fats to add a delicious flavor to your meals.

Bacon grease is great for seasoning cast iron skillets. You can also use it for frying, baking, making salad dressing, or as a substitute for cooking fat when scrambling eggs.

If you want to keep your bacon grease for a long time, you should strain it before storing it to remove any bacon particles. This will help it last longer and improve the taste of your future dishes. You can strain the grease by setting a fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter over a heat-safe bowl, then pouring the grease through the strainer.

Stored in the fridge, bacon grease is good for up to three months. Stored in the freezer, it can last for up to a year.

Clean the pan when the grease is cool

When cleaning a pan with grease in it, it is important to let the grease cool down before attempting to clean it. Hot grease can eat through plastic bags if thrown away, and it can clog the sink.

There are several methods to clean grease from a frying pan. One method is to use baking soda and water to make a paste, which can be left on the grease stains for a bit or left overnight for tougher stains. The paste can also be combined with dish soap or vinegar to cut through the grease. After letting the paste sit, the pan can be scrubbed with a sponge, scouring pad, or rag, and then rinsed and dried.

Another method is to use lemon juice or vinegar, which are acidic and help break down the grease. The pan can be soaked in lemon juice or vinegar for about an hour, and then cleaned with a scrub brush or scrubbing pad and dish soap. This method works best for pans with light stains, and the acid in vinegar or lemon juice will make stainless steel pans shiny.

A third method is to use oven cleaner, which can be applied to the bottom of the pan and left to sit for a few hours or overnight. The pan can then be scrubbed and washed with soap and water to remove any oven cleaner residue.

A fourth method is to use a product called Bar Keepers Friend, which can be made into a paste with water and applied to the bottom of the pan. After letting it sit for about 10 minutes, the pan can be wiped off with a scrubbing pad.

A fifth method is to use dryer sheets by filling the pan with very hot water, adding two or three dryer sheets and a dash of dish soap, and letting it sit for at least an hour. The grease should then be able to be scrubbed off with soap and water.

A sixth method is to use ammonia by putting the pan in a garbage bag with a dash of ammonia and letting it sit overnight. In the morning, the grease will have melted off.

It is important to note that different types of pans may require different cleaning methods, and certain substances and cleaning tools can ruin a pan if the incorrect cleaning method is used. For example, non-stick and ceramic pans should not be cleaned with steel wool as it can damage the coating. Additionally, cast iron pans should not be washed with soap and water if they have been seasoned; instead, they can be wiped down with a paper towel or cloth.

Frequently asked questions