SO, I was wondering if anyone had a good idea of ways to use the fat that runs off of burger/sausage/bacon etc? We eat alot of meat and we have just been pouring it into a jar and then throwing it in the trash after it hardens.
What to do with grease off meat?
- Thread starter Arkantex
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Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
*Gasp* You just toss bacon grease?! You're a sinner, lol. You can use bacon grease for anything... frying eggs, potatoes, etc. Or even soap. But it tastes too good to use in soap.
mrscoyote
Almost Self-Reliant
hqueen13
<Insert Snazzy Title Here
Our grease never gets wasted, either. Nothing like taking a dollop of bacon grease and dropping it in the pan to saute onions or other veggies!
Besides, it is "cheaper" than butter being a by product of cooking the meat that you already have. And there isn't much that is better than onions fried in bacon grease!
Besides, it is "cheaper" than butter being a by product of cooking the meat that you already have. And there isn't much that is better than onions fried in bacon grease!
rhoda_bruce
Almost Self-Reliant
Agree with above entries. If I should have accumulated a great amount of it....more than I could use in regular cooking, I'd dispose of it, in the scrap bucket to give to the chickens. If it was winter and I was worried about the dogs being cold, (and if they didn't like the flavor of their dog food), I'd warm some up and soak it in a serving of their feed.....helps their skin a bit and gives a shiny coat. I've also been known to heat it up real good and cook an ant pile (dig out a hole on top first). I NEVER put any food item in the garbage. It is asking for trouble. Animals will discover that they can get a free meal in my garbage and I'll always have it ripped up and scattered about, plus I want to compost it or use it to save on my feed bill. As John Seymour says,"On a self-sufficient holding, the garbage truck should seldom need to stop."
Niele da Kine
Power Conserver
It's probably healthier to actually not eat it, although it is tasty. Traditionally, it was used to make soap. It can also be used to flavor other dishes, grease up cast iron, fed to the dogs, cats or chickens. In the winter time, it is good for birds. If you are making sausage from exceptionally lean meat, it can be added to the sausage recipe. It can be used with a larding needle to add fat to roasts but most meat nowadays is fat enough that it doesn't need additional.
If the grease is coming from commercially produced meat, I'd be tempted to not use it for cooking or eating since there are so many chemicals added to things these days.
I've heard that f you are going to keep it for awhile, it should be refrigerated since rancid fat can remove vitamins from your body.
If the grease is coming from commercially produced meat, I'd be tempted to not use it for cooking or eating since there are so many chemicals added to things these days.
I've heard that f you are going to keep it for awhile, it should be refrigerated since rancid fat can remove vitamins from your body.
ohiogoatgirl
Lovin' The Homestead
*GASP* just toss it all?!
we keep it and if it doesnt get used quick enough to be used for cooking then you can pour it into a bowl or tuna can etc and use it as a lamp.
http://worldwideflood.com/ark/technology/oil_lamps.htm
http://www.ramshornstudio.com/early_lighting_2.htm
http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/homemade-oil-lamp.htm
i've used bacon grease, burger grease, olive oil, vegetable oil....
and for wicks i have used mullien (known around here as toilet paper plant cause its fuzzy) leaves that i cut and dried into wick size parts.and i would like to try making little twisted wicks from cattail fuzz but havent tried that yet.
i've used mussell shells as holders, tuna can, bowl,...
back in the pioneer days it was a sort of joke that you knew how good a girl would be for a wife if she cooked good biscuits. as imagine yourself cookin all your biscuits from scratch on a cookstove from coal or wood etc. and all the good ones knew to use lard to make em soft and light and a dip of bacon grease to entice the mans tastes
good luck
we keep it and if it doesnt get used quick enough to be used for cooking then you can pour it into a bowl or tuna can etc and use it as a lamp.
http://worldwideflood.com/ark/technology/oil_lamps.htm
http://www.ramshornstudio.com/early_lighting_2.htm
http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/homemade-oil-lamp.htm
i've used bacon grease, burger grease, olive oil, vegetable oil....
and for wicks i have used mullien (known around here as toilet paper plant cause its fuzzy) leaves that i cut and dried into wick size parts.and i would like to try making little twisted wicks from cattail fuzz but havent tried that yet.
i've used mussell shells as holders, tuna can, bowl,...
back in the pioneer days it was a sort of joke that you knew how good a girl would be for a wife if she cooked good biscuits. as imagine yourself cookin all your biscuits from scratch on a cookstove from coal or wood etc. and all the good ones knew to use lard to make em soft and light and a dip of bacon grease to entice the mans tastes
good luck
- Thread starter
- #8
Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
If making candles, especially with homemade wicks, please use caution if you plan to use jars. If the wick is too hot or "wilts" too close to the side of the jar, you will have a glass explosion. You really need to make sure that the wicks are well centered and anchored to the bottom, so they don't do anything goofy as the fuel melts. I make soy candles with a lower heat wick, and one of my first trials in candles, I didn't anchor the wick well, and don't you know, that sucker popped and exploded glass all over.
- Thread starter
- #10
Yay!!! It worked!!! I have been catching the run offs from our meat for the last week or so. Running it through a very fine wire mesh screen to filter it and catching it in a small jar. While doing this, I did some reading on instructibles.com and found that you should salt your wicks to make them work better. I used some old tatterd and torn blue jeans to make the wick. Threw it all together tonight and gave it a try. IT WORKED GREAT!!! My wife was a little leary (to say the least) about the whole idea from the get go. Thats all my fault though. Had a bad accident with fire that got me air lifted to the closest burn unit years ago... anyway... By the time she went to bed, she was just fine with the whole idea! She did want me to use a smaller wick next time so the flame wouldn't be quite as big as it was. All in all though, I count it as a great success! Thanks everyone!
