Since money has been tighter, I have gone back to the ways of my mother and grandmother. I have learned that every good southern cook needs to have this item in the refrigerator. No, it isn't cottage cheese. I hate cottage cheese and the only reason we have that is because we have the resident health nut that thinks cottage cheese is dessert. He buys it himself. I won't waste a bit of the grocery budget on his cottage cheese obsession. My item is actually sitting on top of the cottage cheese in a little round dish. Our grandmothers and mothers had this item sitting on the stove in a special tin. They used it on a daily basis. I don't use it that much so I store mine in the refrigerator. I don't want it to go bad. Of course by now you probably realize I am talking about bacon grease. I don't use bacon grease as much as my grandmother. She used bacon grease to cook everything in including broccoli. I usually keep packages of bacon around to use as seasoning. If I cook green beans, I would roll up a piece of bacon and throw it in the pot with the onion. Now we aren't keeping bacon as much so I needed a way to get the seasoning without having to purchase a whole pack of bacon. I remembered my mom used bacon grease that she kept on her stove in a little tin that read "grease". Those days have gone by the way side, but the flavor of bacon still seasons things wonderful. I know most of you think I must be nuts to use grease to season anything, but I am southern so you will just have to bear with me and trust me on this one. Remember if you use bacon grease, a little goes a long way so be stingy with it! If I don't have bacon or ham to cook in my dried beans, I will add some bacon grease and they have a much better flavor. It is just another way to stretch my bucks and still have great flavor. If you aren't from the south, you might just want to skip this post all together. And if you live with a resident health nut, please don't EVER let him see you add bacon grease to any of your dishes. He will never trust you again...ask me how I know!!!grace and peace,
julie
10 comments:
We use bacon grease to season quite a few tings. Our turkey always gets slathered and it's a major seasoning of fried rice. We don't normally season green beans, but I'll have to try it. I keep trying to find way to slip in more calories with Dan since he's always outside and working so hard!
I always fry my eggs in bacon grease, and I also add a spoonful to my bean soup. And of course, it gets added to green beans, if I am out of bacon itself.
I store my jar of bacon grease in the refridgerator too! Yes, I live in the south!
Gotta have bacon grease! My mom also had a little tin with "Grease" on it. I'd love to have one of those! Great for seasonings, and it's how I start off my gravy too.
I have a container in my fridge too! I don't use it often but it's there if I need it.
My husband always has eggs fried in bacon grease, just the way his mother made them.
It's not the healthiest but like you said a little bit really does go a long way.
I can't remember ever *not* having bacon grease in the fridge. :)
Hmm I'm in Idaho but from Houston, Texas with all my family in Louisiana. I never had bacon grease in anything but my husband's family did. I didn't even think about storing it. I might just have to try that!I bet that makes some darn tasty green beans! Thank you. Oh and I can't stand cottage cheese either. ;) I'm luckier than you though... so far no one in my little family likes it. I am the health nut. lol
Southern Ladies,
Thanks for all of your comments. I felt odd writing this post becaue I felt I was the only one to use something as unhealthy as bacon grease!!! Thanks for letting me know that others like me are out there!!!!
grace and peace,
julie
P.s. Using bacon grease in your iron skillet to make cornbread is the best ever. My mother in law taught me this one. Put enough bacon grease in the iron skillet to grease it and have a little extra. Put the skillet in the hot oven to heat the grease. add your cornbread batter when the grease is heated. It should sizzle just a bit. Bake following your directions.
Julie,
Isn't it great to be southern? I have bacon grease sitting on my stove, as my mother did and her mother did and her mother did. We put a teaspoon in everything from scrambled eggs to green beans from creamed corn and corn bread (and sometimes a touch of sugar too). In the fall I throw a little in my pinto beans, black eyed peas and October beans and turnip greens. As Emeril says, "Pork fat rules!"`
i keep mine in a brown small "crock" in fridge. 5 generations and all of them lived a lonnnnnggg life. my grandfather passed away at 92?he ate bacon grease every morning on his grits, ha. i can't do that. yum yum love the bacon grease!
I'm a Southern cooking gal and I still need a little bacon grease in my cooking too! My mom still uses it also and you'll find a few of the recipes on my blog and in the cookbook that call for it too.
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