How To Turn Leftover Bacon It Into An Irresistible Seasoning

If your mind is anything like mine, leftover bacon is as alien as leftover wine. Because, who can resist eating every last bite of a batch of freshly cooked bacon? I mean, I have seen vegetarians cave in at the sight of perfectly crispy bacon. But let's say that, for some reason, you have a lot leftover after overestimating the amount you needed when hosting a brunch. There are a few unexpected things you could do with leftover bacon, but if you want to make that deliciously meaty, smoky flavor last longer, your best bet is to make bacon salt. 

Bacon-centric condiments are nothing new — think bacon jam, for starters. However, making bacon salt doesn't require any special skills or equipment, and it will literally take you five minutes. Simply crumble the cooled bacon, place it in a food processor alongside coarse sea salt and some smoked paprika if you like, and pulse until you reach the desired consistency. You might like it a bit chunky to use as a finishing salt, but if you prefer a finer powder that you can incorporate into recipes, just pulse everything a little longer. 

You can use any kind of bacon you prefer — cured or uncured, smoked, pepper-crusted, maple, jalapeño, or whatever other flavor you want to infuse into the salt. Follow these pro tips for making flavored salts at home for the best results, and store your bacon-seasoned salt in an airtight container so you can keep using it for a few months.

There are plenty of ways to use bacon salt in the kitchen. It's a no-brainer for breakfast items such as scrambled eggs and omelets, avocado or tomato toast, and to enhance any kind of hash. Otherwise, season salad dressings and vinaigrettes, or sprinkle it on top of a baked potato in place of bacon bits. Add it as an ingredient in bisques and chowders for depth of flavor, or use it as you would any smoked salt in marinades and rubs to accentuate the savory smokiness in meats for the barbecue. Creamy or buttery pastas would also greatly benefit from a bacon salt upgrade. The seasoning is a great way to elevate boxed mac and cheese, for instance. 

Bacon salt is brilliant on snacks, too. Sprinkle it on popcorn, use it to upgrade your store-bought potato chips, or put a spin on your favorite guacamole recipe. And why not give bacon salt a try in baked goods and desserts? A light sprinkle over chocolate or vanilla ice cream might be nice, or replace the salt when baking these sweet and salty bacon scones with maple glaze. There are lots of sweet and savory ways to apply this versatile ingredient in your everyday cooking, so fry a bit extra the next time you need bacon, and make a batch of this useful seasoning salt.