# Bacon Fat!



## jarjarchef (Aug 26, 2012)

Is there anything more amazing to cook with than bacon fat?

I find it to be the best thing to sauté with....

Just had to put that out there.......


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## davidhef88 (Aug 26, 2012)

I could not agree with you more. I keep a container of it in the fridge. This morning I didn't cook any bacon but I grabbed some from the handy container and pan fried some potatoes and eggs. I use it for a lot more than is probably good for me.


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## jarjarchef (Aug 26, 2012)

It is a sad day i just used the last I had in my container in my fridge.

But wait.......that means I have to cook more bacon....... Hey and that is a good thing.

My kids make fun of me with my container in the fridge. But they are always saying they tried to make what I do when they atre at their mom's. Then they complain it is not the same. So I ask them if they used the secret ingredient? They laugh and say their not allowed to save the bacon fat. I just smile and say nothing.......


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## desertlites (Aug 26, 2012)

1 more reason to become a bacon maker.


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## jarjarchef (Aug 26, 2012)

desertlites said:


> 1 more reason to become a bacon maker.




Oh I so want to make my own bacon. The challenge for me at this time is I don't have local butcher to get the pork belly from.


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## daveomak (Aug 26, 2012)

Ok, don't laugh at me for this thought..... how about cold smoking lard ???  Someone must have done that..... 

I have to use bacon ends and pieces to get bacon fat for the refer.... home made bacon doesn't render enough fat ....  and I re smoke the ends and pieces for more smoke flavor...   I could be weird but store bought don't taste right without the extra smoke.....  Dave


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## desertlites (Aug 26, 2012)

Dave, good evening-what does 1 do with that big thick rind? Me, I render it down into that semi clear sweet gold I refer to as bacon fat.and ya those ends and pieces work great too. I agree that the slices from home done bacon doesn't

give off much grease.


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## rich- (Aug 28, 2012)

Good Morning Dave and all,

Dave I'm with you, I buy the 3 pound bricks of bacon ends and pieces at my local Cash and Carry store, I have never re-smoked it, but since you mention it I do think I will give that a try.

I usually get the ends and p[ieces, toss it all in a big skillet and fry it all up, drain off the bacon grease, and save for cooking, and bag the cooked bacon and freeze it.

When we have BLT's, I cut the pieces into even smaller pieces, heat in the microwave and make our sandwichs with the small pieces, that way when a bite is taken , we don;t drag out a whole hunk of Bacon.

I once told my doctor that I had given up frying foods in bacon grease and went back to Crisco to save calories, she told me the calories are the same, the bacon grease is just harder on the arteries, so I went back to using bacon grease, Never planned to live for ever any way.

Rich


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## chef jimmyj (Aug 28, 2012)

jarjarchef said:


> Is there anything more amazing to cook with than bacon fat?
> I find it to be the best thing to sauté with....
> Just had to put that out there.......


 Ummm...DUCK FAT!...Ok they are about the same...

If you are having a hard time getting bellies from the local butcher...Sysco carries 2 belly cases 16Lb avg.My  Wife, Hilton Asst Purcasing Manager, is getting a price today. Does your Purchasing Manager let you order through the company? If not many Sysco and other Food Distributors have Cash and Carry operations at the Warehouse. The Butcher 40 minutes away wants $3.39/Lb, not bad but would like to do better...JJ

BTW: Dave is spot on...Fat has an amazing ability to absorb flavors. Stick an unwrapped stick of Butter on a plate with a Clove of bruised Garlic overnight. So Smoking Lard should yield great results.


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## biteme7951 (Aug 28, 2012)

DaveOmak said:


> Ok, don't laugh at me for this thought..... how about cold smoking lard ???  Someone must have done that.....
> 
> I have to use bacon ends and pieces to get bacon fat for the refer.... home made bacon doesn't render enough fat ....  and I re smoke the ends and pieces for more smoke flavor...   I could be weird but store bought don't taste right without the extra smoke.....  Dave


Hmmmmm....

How bout some lard with brown sugar and maple flavor? Could you cure lard the same way you do bacon? Add cure, salt, & seasonings to lard warmed just enough to make it workable then cold smoke after a sit in the fridge????  Inquiring minds want to know.

Barry.


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## smokinhusker (Aug 28, 2012)

Yes I have a container of bacon fat in the fridge. I've saved bacon fat all my adult life I guess because that's how my granny did it. I use the skin off the homemade bacon to grease my griddle for pancakes etc. Just fold it skin side in and wipe away on the griddle.


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## daveomak (Aug 28, 2012)

biteme7951 said:


> DaveOmak said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, don't laugh at me for this thought..... how about cold smoking lard ???  Someone must have done that.....
> ...


Lard will last forever without refrigeration... sugar and maple flavor added to it for storage, may not be a good idea.... BUT, added at the time of cooking is a good thought.... maybe even some liquid smoke would be good... (if you haven't smoked the lard already).... 

Dave


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## jarjarchef (Aug 28, 2012)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Ummm...DUCK FAT!...Ok they are about the same...
> 
> If you are having a hard time getting bellies from the local butcher...Sysco carries 2 belly cases 16Lb avg.My  Wife, Hilton Asst Purcasing Manager, is getting a price today. Does your Purchasing Manager let you order through the company? If not many Sysco and other Food Distributors have Cash and Carry operations at the Warehouse. The Butcher 40 minutes away wants $3.39/Lb, not bad but would like to do better...JJ


Unfortunatly we do not have a cash and carry at work. Too many people took advantage of it an caused issue where the Company had to pay for items. I do have one of the smaller vendors that was willing to sell me some, but have not been able to contact him. He is on vacation. We shall see.


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## chef jimmyj (Aug 29, 2012)

Score! I Nailed it! Called a small Grocery chain store to get a price on Ribs for the weekend. I asked about Bellies, just for the heck of it, and the meat manager said, " Sure I could get them, I'll call you with a price..." Five minutes later he calls back and says, " How is $2.99 a pound? " 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






16 Pounds, 2 Bellies, will be picked up on Friday!...AND...When I told him his local competitor was $.50 /Lb cheaper on the Ribs, he Matched that price! So 4 Racks of Spare Ribs for $2.49/Lb as well. Best thing is this guy is 5 minutes away rather than 40 minutes. I am a happy Camper...JJ


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## moikel (Aug 29, 2012)

Way back you could buy lard in a tub maybe a pound,mostly beef. My butcher used to give me all the duck carcasses I wanted ,like 10 -12 at a time as a contra for me making him the odd few things. I would render all the fat & make stock out of all the bones. 

Then those TV  chefs started using duck fat to roast potato's,make confit & he started to get customers asking for it so he has to make a living now he sells duck fat . "Damn yuppies" as they say on Duck Dynasty, it was under their noses for years needed some TV chef to make it "cool".


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## victorytea (Aug 31, 2012)

My neighbor has several dogs that poop on his lawn. He uses bacon fat sprinkled on them and when the dogs come back- they clean up their own poops. very nasty but also very clever!!  I will send Q-Views soon.  Paul


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## scarbelly (Aug 31, 2012)

We have a container that holds nearly a quart the is at least 1/2 full all the time with bacon fat and I love smoked butter - 

I have a list somewhere of 60 compound butters - I will try to dig it up and post it


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## pgsmoker64 (Aug 31, 2012)

Great thread!  There is nothing better than bacon and cooking with bacon grease.  Just wondering if anyone can answer one question.  How long can one keep bacon grease in the fridge?

I found a jar that got pushed to the back.  Smells okay, but typically I only use refrigerated pork products about four days after cooking.

One of my favorite things to cook in bacon grease is a mixture of potatoes, fresh squash, onions, and "BACON".


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## jarjarchef (Sep 3, 2012)

I am not sure how long you can keep it. My state health inspector at work would make us get rid of it in <7 days.

At home I keep mine for a long time like months, i just keep adding to the container and store it in the coldest part of my fridge. I have seen some web sites mention filtering it, I don't that is some of the good stuff....

I would never store it on the counter like it was done years ago. Just too many things to go wrong....

I am not saying bacteria can't grow in it, but you have no water left. It is my understanding that is what makes fat go rancid. Your PH Level is most likely out of the range as well. Also most commercially produced bacon has curing agents that help preserve it.

You ultimately have to do what you feel is best for you and your situation.


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## moikel (Sep 3, 2012)

jarjarchef said:


> I am not sure how long you can keep it. My state health inspector at work would make us get rid of it in <7 days.
> 
> At home I keep mine for a long time like months, i just keep adding to the container and store it in the coldest part of my fridge. I have seen some web sites mention filtering it, I don't that is some of the good stuff....
> 
> ...


I know you are a chef so subject to inspections etc. I kept duck fat at home for months,coldest part of fridge sure but months.So I am with you. I wouldnt chance it in my climate out of fridge for long but isnt confit french style originally kept in terracotta jars in cellars? Same principle ,easier in France than here ,but I thought they got it right through the winter.


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## jarjarchef (Sep 3, 2012)

Here is what Wikipedia had to say:

*Duck confit* (French: _confit de canard_ French pronunciation: [kɔ̃.fi d(ə) ka.naʁ]) is a French dish made with the leg of the duck. While it is made across France, it is seen as a speciality of Gascony. The confit is prepared in a centuries-old process of preservation that consists of salt curing a piece of meat (generally goose, duck, or pork) and then poaching it in its own fat.

To prepare a confit, the meat is rubbed with salt, garlic, and sometimes herbs such as thyme, then covered and refrigerated for up to 36 hours. Salt-curing the meat acts as a preservative.

Prior to cooking, the spices are rinsed from the meat, which is then patted dry. The meat is placed in a cooking dish deep enough to contain the meat and the rendered fat, and placed in an oven at a low temperature (76 – 135 degrees Celsius/170 – 275 Fahrenheit).[sup][1][/sup][sup][2][/sup] The meat is slowly poached at least until cooked, or until meltingly tender, generally four to ten hours.

The meat and fat are then removed from the oven and left to cool. When cool, the meat can be transferred to a canning jar or other container and completely submerged in the fat. A sealed jar of duck confit may be kept in the refrigerator for up to six months, or several weeks if kept in a reusable plastic container. To maximise preservation if canning, the fat should top the meat by at least one inch. The cooking fat acts as both a seal and preservative and results in a very rich taste. Skipping the salt curing stage greatly reduces the shelf life of the confit.

Confit is also sold in cans, which can be kept for several years. The flavourful fat from the confit may also be used in many other ways, as a frying medium for sautéed vegetables (e.g., green beans and garlic, wild or cultivated mushrooms), savory toasts, scrambled eggs or omelettes, and as an addition to shortcrust paste for tarts and quiches.

A classic recipe is to fry or grill the legs in a bit of the fat until they are well-browned and crisp, and use more of the fat to roast some potatoes and garlic as an accompaniment. The potatoes roasted in duck fat to accompany the crisped-up confit is called _pommes de terre à la sarladaise_. Another accompaniment is red cabbage slow-braised with apples and red wine.

Duck confit is also a traditional ingredient in many versions of cassoulet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_confit

So based on this and other sites I looked at the process you were describing sounds to be a canning style. Also the cellars in France are around 40-50 degrees year round, so that will have a bit to do with the storage. You will also see that they talk about salt curing, so depending on the method you make it will determine how long it can be stored.

I don't make this at home, but at work it is only around for a short time. We make it as we need it.


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## fpnmf (Sep 3, 2012)

Since you played the confit card...here's a look at some I made last year..

It may have had something to do with my latest med issues..hahahahahahahahaha

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...on-first-try-at-confit-with-q-view-money-shot


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## jarjarchef (Sep 3, 2012)

fpnmf said:


> Since you played the confit card...here's a look at some I made last year..
> 
> It may have had something to do with my latest med issues..hahahahahahahahaha
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...on-first-try-at-confit-with-q-view-money-shot



That is just amazing!


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