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22 Smart Uses for Bacon Grease: Creative Ideas (With Pictures)

cooking bacon

If you’re a bacon lover, you probably have gathered lots of its grease. Although it seems useless, there are many ways to reuse this grease instead of throwing it away. For example, you can use it in baking, lubrication, soap-making, medicine, etc.

So, if you have never thought of collecting bacon grease, it’s time you should. Here are 22 smart and creative ideas to reuse the bacon grease.

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The 22 Smart Uses for Recycling Bacon Grease

1. Flavor Booster

lambs lettuce salad
Image By: RitaE, Pixabay

Bacon fat is a beneficial and flavorful food source that makes the perfect meals. It can be stored for a long time, and you can carry it anywhere.

The strong flavor of the bacon grease makes it an ideal ingredient to instill a sweet and savory taste in your food. If your diet doesn’t have many options, you can use bacon grease as a flavor booster.


2. Preservative

Preservatives in a bottle
Image Credit: jarmoluk, Pixabay

Bacon fat can prevent the air from leaving. This preserves the freshness of your meals and prevents them from getting spoiled for prolonged periods.

To use bacon grease as a preservative, you first need to melt the grease. Then, cover the hot food in a mason jar with a layer of freshly melted bacon grease and leave it till the fat hardens. This seal will preserve the air and keep your food fresh for a long time.


3. Prepare Chocolate

chocolate bar
Image Credit: daniel-fazio, Unsplash

As you know, bacon grease is a holy grail for people who always stay on the go. But did you know that you can also prepare an energy-filled chocolate bar with it?

Although it may sound too good to be true, it sure works. Simply mix bacon grease with raw cacao and honey to make a delicious yet nutritious snack you can munch anywhere.

If you have a sweet tooth, you’re definitely in for a treat.


4. Make Your Pie Crusts Crispy

photo of a pie
Image Credit: saritalarson, Pixabay

Baking enthusiasts can also benefit from the bacon grease, as it makes the best substitute for butter. In addition, bacon fat gives the ideal crispiness to your pies and cookies.

So, whether you’re preparing bread or pies, you can use bacon grease to make them more flavorful and crispier. However, ensure that you’re using it in adequate quantity, or else the original taste of your food may get altered.


5. Prevent Boiling Over of Pots

boiling over of milk
Image Credit: Myriams-Fotos, Pixabay

Many people struggle with their pots getting overboiled when cooking starchy foods like pasta and noodles. If you’re facing the same issue and don’t know what to do, bacon grease can help you.

Add a pea-sized amount of bacon fat to the water. It will prevent the water from boiling over your pot, so you can carry on with your life without worry.


6. DIY Fire Starters

person burning coal of a griller
Image Credit: askar-abayev, Pexels

Bacon grease makes the best fire starters. Just pour used bacon grease on an old rag or corn cob and set it on fire. You’ll get a homemade lighter without making much effort.


7. Soap-Making

soap bars
Image Credit: monstera, Pexels

If you like to try new things, use the stored bacon grease to make soaps. Gather lye and water and combine them with the fat to prepare soaps. Then, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for the amazing fragrance.

The process can be lengthy, but it sure makes one fun activity.


8. Prevent Corrosion of Iron Cookware

girl cooking in a pan
Image Credit: daria-obymaha, Pexels

Iron cookware is prone to rust, no matter how hard you try to clean and maintain your skillet. But little do you know that your lifesaver is sitting in your pantry. Yes, bacon grease can even prevent corrosion of your cast-iron cookware, extending its lifetime.

Simply rub the utensil with a sufficient amount of bacon grease. Then, heat it over the fire or a super-hot oven until the fat bakes in. Within a few minutes, the bacon fat will form a protective black patina layer over the metal that stops rust formation.


9. Lubrication

machine oil oiling
Image Credit: Dibjo, Pixabay

Can’t go out to get your car lubricated? Is the screeching noise making you crazy? Simply go to your pantry and take out the bacon grease jar. Use a few drops of this bacon fat into the wheel or hinge of your car and silence that annoying squeak.


10. Leather Polish

shoeshine
Image Credit: JamesDeMers, Pixabay

If you’re lazy enough to polish your shoes regularly, bacon grease is the hack you’re looking for. It’s natural for your leather-made things like belts and shoes to lose their shine over time. Of course, you can’t stop that from happening, but you can restore their lost suppleness.

Take a rag and put a small amount of bacon grease on it. Then, rub it on your belts and shoes to give them a subtle shine. The good thing is that the bacon fat stays long, so you can go about for a few days without polishing your shoes.


11. Waterproofing

waterproof
Image Credit: GoGoNano, Pixabay

Bacon grease can be used as an effective water-repellent on your belongings made of leather and canvas. It forms a protective layer that prevents water droplets from touching your boots, rainwear, and tents.

So even if it rains like cats and dogs, you can easily carry on with your day.


12. Stop Nose Bleeding

woman touching her nose
Image Credit: ivan-samkov, Pexels

Bacon grease can help treat mild health-related conditions like nosebleeds and bleeding from minor wounds.

To stop bleeding from the nose, you can use a piece of cotton or tissue and dab it in bacon grease. The fat’s salt will target the small arteries in your nose, making them swell and close. As a result, the nose bleeding will stop. The same goes for bleeding from small wounds.


13. Soothe Your Skin

woman applying cream on face against mirror
Image Credit: sora-shimazaki, Pexels

If you spend your day outdoors, you’re likely to attract bugs, pollutants, and other harmful things. Regardless, you may see multiple grazes, bug bites, and wind and sunburn on your face at the end of the day. If it’s your unlucky day, your skin care products won’t even help you.

That’s when you can use bacon grease to restore your skin’s natural texture. Simply rub the fat on your face and cover it with a clean cloth. Leave it overnight and wash your face in the morning. Your skin will not only look smooth but will also feel good.

If you have cracked heels, bacon grease can help you cure them too.


14. Treat Scabies

Woman Touching Her Right Leg
Image Credit: cats-coming, Pexels

Scabies is the minute mites naturally present on your skin’s outer layer. They can sometimes cause skin rashes and itching, which could be a nuisance. When this happens, your doctor may recommend an ointment to relieve pain.

You can also prepare the ointment with bacon grease and sulfur. Simply mix these ingredients and apply them to the affected area to eliminate scabies and other parasites.


15. Get Rid of a Splinter

removing splinter from a hand
Image Credit: MonikaP, Pixabay

Splinters are typically hard to remove, but bacon grease can make it easier. Spread a few drops of the fat over your splinter and cover the affected area with a band-aid. Let it rest for a few hours, and then carefully remove the band-aid.

Bacon fat will make your skin soft, so you can easily pluck the splinter.


16. Homemade Candles

Person Making Artisan Candles
Image Credit: yan-krukov, Pexels

Candles can uplift the environment of any room. If you like to light up your space with multiple candles, you can make them at home without going out of budget.

Simply tie a cotton rag strip or a thread to a stick and hang it in the mason jar. Now, add bacon fat and leave it to harden up. Remove the strip or thread when the fat becomes hard, and you’ll get a candle made of bacon grease.

If you eat bacon regularly, you can keep reusing the leftover grease and making free candles.


17. Dog Treats

Cute brown dog sitting near sofa and licking nose
Image Credit: ivan-babydov, Pexels

Bacon is rich in sodium, an element that can lead to diarrhea and vomiting, especially in dogs. Thus, you shouldn’t feed your dogs raw bacon or neat bacon grease. But they love the intense flavor and smell of bacon. So how can you make your puppy happy?

The next time you go grocery shopping, read the ingredients label on every dog food product and buy the one integrated with bacon fat. This way, your puppy will have their favorite snack healthily and deliciously.


18. Bird Food

Cute hummingbird sitting on bird feeder
Image Credit: chris-f, Pexels

Wild birds also love the smell of bacon grease. So, use it in the bird feeder to lure in wild birds. You can also put a few drops of bacon fat in your turkey or chicken food. Doing so will keep the birds warm and full, especially in winter.


19. Run a Generator

generator
Image Credit: Virrage Images, Shutterstock

Filtered bacon grease can enhance the capability of multiple fuels, particularly diesel. So, mix a substantial amount of bacon grease with diesel to extend your generator’s running time.

You can also use grease as a biofuel for your cars. Simply add methanol to it and use it as an alternative to diesel.


20. Fish, Insect & Animal Lures

gnat trap
Image Credit: Lyudmila Mikhailovskaya, Shutterstock

Bacon grease’s strong smell makes it an ideal bait for fish and insect traps. Many anglers prepare potent baits from decaying fish and bacon grease. This bait is famous as “putrid pudding,” which you can use to capture catfish and other freshwater fish.

If you plan to go camping soon, you can take the bacon grease lures with you to attract coyotes, bobcats, and raccoons. Not only that, but you can even use these baits to attract bears hiding nearby.


21. Bug Trap

Gnats caught in flytrap
Image Credit: MarcOliver_Artworks, Shutterstock

Speaking of camping, how can we forget the annoying bugs invading your tent? Bacon grease baits can also help you trap these bugs.

Mix solid bacon fat with a bit of vegetable oil and liquify it. Then, pour the mixture into a dish and place it inside your camp or near your home’s window. Soon you will see insects gathering around the container and falling into the sticky grease trap.


22. Fertilizer

Lawn Fertilizer
Image Credit: Mariakray, Pixabay

If your bacon grease has gone rancid, you can reuse it as a fertilizer. However, adding too much to your garden area can result in unwanted bacterial growth. That’s because rancid bacon grease usually degrades after a long time.

Nevertheless, the earthworms in the soil can turn the grease into fertilizer.

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Conclusion

Despite being leftover, bacon grease can be reused in multiple ways. It’s helpful in baking, fueling, and treating several skin-related conditions. For example, you can make chocolates, extend the generator’s running time, prepare bug traps, and soothe your skin with bacon grease.

Many experts don’t recommend using bacon grease directly on your body, especially when heading outside. That’s because the strong smell of bacon can attract several insects, bugs, coyotes, bears, and even fire ants. So stay cautious when implementing a creative idea for reusing bacon grease.


Featured Image Credit: piviso, Pixabay

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