Nothing screams “cottage breakfast” like a big frying pan of side bacon—one of the fattiest pork products you can consume. (So? It’s the cottage.) But what do you do with the grease?
Do season your cottage frying pan; it’ll work as well as any seasoning agent.
Don’t dump it down the drain; it’ll clog pipes and mess up your septic system.
Do make it a butter replacement; the only thing better than corn on the cob is corn on the cob that tastes like bacon.
Don’t use it instead of suet as bird feed; commercial bacon contains preservatives that can become concentrated in the fat. Suet cakes are safer for the birds.
Do turn it into mousetrap bait…er, maybe? Mice are attracted to fatty foods, but unlike peanut butter, grease will go rancid without refrigeration.
Don’t chuck it outside. If dry dog food will attract bears, you can bet a whole bunch of bacon grease will.
In a pinch you could…
…turn bacon grease into homemade lip balm. Assuming your SO wants to make out with a piece of bacon. (But it’s the cottage. You probably want a lip balm with SPF.)
…use it as a lubricant. If you’re out of WD-40, a dab of grease could, for example, silence a squeaky door hinge. (But who is ever out of WD-40?)
This article was originally published in the May 2023 issue of Cottage Life.
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