Your Grandmother Treasured This Essential Southern Ingredient, And So Should You

If you love bacon, then praise the lard!

By

Updated on July 11, 2024

Southern Living Popcorn Salad cooking the bacon in a skillet — Photo:
Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

Southerners love butter. We love sugar. But the one ingredient we prize above all others is bacon. You might even say our love for this pork product borders on biblical. And our reverence goes beyond the crispy slices of salty, smoky heaven — the drippings left behind from cooking bacon are liquid gold. Chances are your grandmother kept a jar of bacon grease beside the stove, ever on hand to take her dishes from good to great. But if bacon grease doesn’t hold a special place in your heart yet, here are a few reasons why we love it so much.

Bacon Grease Is Patient

Rendered bacon fat will wait for you until you’re ready to use it. Although our grandmothers kept it on the countertop, experts today recommend storing it in the refrigerator up to three months or freezing it for basically forever. I’ll be honest — I keep my bacon grease in a jar on the counter, but I like to live dangerously. Be safe and keep it cool and follow these expert tips.

Bacon Grease Is Kind

That liquid gold is kind to cast-iron skillets. In fact, any time I cook bacon in my skillet, I think of it like I’m treating her to Spa Day. Bacon (or other) fat serves to replenish the seasoning of your cast-iron pans, like putting lotion on your legs in the winter (weird, I know, but accurate!). While it’s no substitute for a good re-seasoning, a dose of bacon fat every now and then guards your favorite skillet against acidic ingredients that can strip away the finish.

Bacon Grease Does Not Envy

Sure, bacon fat gets a bad rap for its cholesterol level compared to “healthier” fats like olive oil, but calorie for calorie, they’re virtually the same. And while olive oil likes to boast that it’s more heart healthy, bacon fat is fine with that, because it brings loads more flavor to the table. Everyone has their strengths, right?

Bacon Grease Is Not Easily Angered

Bacon fat can take the heat. While its smoke point isn’t as high as frying oils like canola, it’s perfectly suitable for sauteing and baking – the rich, smoky flavor stays intact. I like to combine it with olive oil or vegetable oil to give my dishes a hint of bacon flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.

Bacon Grease Never Fails

Whenever you add bacon grease to a recipe, it never fails to impress. “I made green beans,” turns no heads. “I made green beans with bacon ” gets folks excited, right? Whenever we use bacon in a recipe, we try our best to use that flavorful fat to enhance the overall dish. The result? Southern food that just tastes better.