How To Repurpose Bacon Grease For The Most Flavorful Butter Of Your Life

For many of us, bacon grease is the nectar of the gods — not one drop should go to waste. Those golden-hued pan drippings are a surefire way to upgrade your recipes, adding richness and depth of flavor to everything from dinner rolls to popcorn. If you're looking for a way to impart a little of that deep, smoky flavor to a variety of dishes throughout the week, look no further than bacon butter. It's one of the simplest and most flavorful ways to repurpose your bacon grease.

Making bacon butter is easy. All you need is one stick of butter and two to three tablespoons of bacon grease (depending on how decadently bacon-y you want it). It's as simple as whipping the two together in a bowl until they're well mixed and a light and fluffy consistency is achieved. You can do this by hand (if you'd like the arm workout), or by a handheld or standing mixer. The key is the temperature of both ingredients — you'll want your butter at room temperature so its easy to mix, and your bacon grease should be cooled but not hardened. Too hot and it will melt the butter, too cold and it won't blend well. 

You can either use leftover, strained bacon grease or cook up some fresh bacon on the spot — both frying and baking work fine. Just remove the cooked bacon from the pan and allow the grease to cool down first. Your resulting compound butter can be kept in a reusable container in the refrigerator as is, or rolled into a log using parchment paper for easy slicing.

Now that you have your bacon butter, try adding it to whatever sounds good to you. It's so versatile, it's kind of hard to go wrong. Some notable uses are steaks, burgers, potatoes (mashed, baked, or roasted, bacon grease can make any version of this comfort side dish better), soups, and piping hot veggies like corn on the cob. It's also unforgettable on pasta like spaghetti, taking those basic butter noodles to 11. It can elevate a simple omelet, help you make an ultra-rich gravy for biscuits, and when mixed with a drizzle of honey, it can take your grandma's cornbread recipe to the next level. 

Once you've mastered the basics of bacon butter, there's more you can do to switch it up. Try upping the bacon-y goodness by including all those tiny slivers of bacon crumbs from freshly harvested grease into your butter. Let the fat cool as usual but don't strain it, allowing the leftovers in the grease to amp up the flavor. However, be sure to use this version of bacon butter right away, because leaving meat particles behind in your drippings can cause bacteria to grow over time. You can also coat the outside of your bacon butter with actual crumbles. Simply roll your butter log in the bacon bits to do so. And don't forget to sweeten the deal, perhaps with some maple syrup — it's perfect for pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Like things a bit more complex and savory? Try adding minced garlic and herbs such as parsley, sage, cilantro, rosemary, or thyme for an herbaceous twist. There are so many ways to take bacon butter a step further.