Q: Before my dog Lulu passed away, we fried up some bacon for the lass and kept the bacon grease. I'm vegetarian, so now that she's gone I have this can of grease, which I can't cook with. Are there non-cooking options for using bacon grease? Like do plants like it in their soil? Or is it safe/good to compost? I heard you can make soap with it, but lye scares me.
Sent by Sonia
Editor: Sonia, good question! A few things we know: bacon grease is not compostable. (Not in a home composter, anyway.) A residential compost bin or pile doesn't get hot enough to sufficiently break down meat, bones, oils and fats. A small amount would be fine, but a whole can of grease wouldn't really work. We've also never heard of using it as a plant fertilizer. Hmmm... you have us stumped! We're going to throw this one out to our readers.
Anyone have any non-cooking uses for bacon grease?
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Maybe seasoning cast iron? Though I'm not 100% that bacon grease would be good for that, and I'd consider it borderline cooking - If I was vegetarian its not something I'd do with bacon grease.
view ktoth04's profile
Wash it and use it to make soap.
Seasoning cast iron is a good one.
view fatguy1966's profile
I know this isn't what you are looking for exactly but...I bet one of your carnivorous friends would appreciate a gift of bacon grease (I know I would!)
view cranberrybobbie's profile
We use it to help start fires in our fireplace or outdoor firepit!
view Ariana's profile
Ktoth04, it would work great to season cast iron. I accidentally burned all the seasoning off of the center of my griddle (*cries*) but after frying bacon on it a few times, it was back to where it started.
That said, I wouldn't think a vegetarian would want to use it for that. On the other hand, if it's just for personal beliefs and not a religious restriction or allergy, well, the animal already died, might as well put the grease to good use. I wouldn't expect that enough of it would get into the food you then cooked on the cast iron to make you sick but I'm not a vegetarian and don't know for certain how sensitive your stomach can get.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
my boyfriend's mother smears her bacon grease on a pine cone or a slab of wood and apparently birds LOVE it. I too had some bacon grease left over this weekend and this is what she told me to do with it but if anyone else has any more experience with this please add
view cricrix's profile
We also used this for pinecones. Just smear on the cone, roll in birdseed, and hang from a tree with string or set on the ground. Cricrix is right - the birds really do love it!
view NDprairiegirl's profile
Yup, the old pinecone trick is great (you can do this with peanut butter too!).
view Sudlow Jewelry's profile
I've never given my dogs bacon grease. I'm also a vegetarian and have always just canned the grease and thrown it away. Maybe I'll start putting my dog's pills into it and see if it works. :) Thanks!
Also, I've used the pinecone trick with peanut butter and birds just go nuts for it. I would think using bacon grease might attract some less desireable critters (racoons, etc.) but it's worth a shot!
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view LauraExtanz's profile
I'm not certain about this, but have you looked into candle-making? Tallow (beef fat) used to be valued for making nice white candles. I seem to remember that the everyday candles were made from other animal fats.
view Michelle of Montreal's profile
I don't think you are supposed to use bacon grease to season your cast iron! You are not supposed to use any oil with salt in it -
That said, whenever I cook bacon in the pot, it looks like it just has a facial and a mani-pedi...
Hmmm.
view ironicmullet's profile