More importantly, I feel like the bacon fat is less potent than the lard. I’m not sure exactly why this is, but I feel like I have to use more of it to get the same effect as home rendered lard.
Here’s some real deal lard in the freezer of my local butcher: But now instead of back fat let’s start with some bacon. Bacon comes from the belly of the pig. We’ll cook the bacon and gather up the leftover drippings. I’ve been saving this bacon fat for the past few months — I usually just strain it into a Mason jar and store it in the fridge.
Can bacon fat be left out?
Generally speaking, yes. Even cooked, it’s full of proteins and fats that can decompose or be attacked by bacteria and molds. It will spoil, though less quickly than raw bacon. Unrefrigerated, cooked bacon has made its appearance in supermarkets across the US. How long can cooked bacon be left out at room temperature ?
One more question we ran across in our research was “Does bacon fat go rancid?”.
Heck mice, if you have mice issues can even get into the bacon fat causing health issues. Debris and exposure to air can cause bacon fat to go rancid as well. It is always wise to store your bacon fat in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to use it.
If your bacon fat smells rancid or has mold growing on the surface of it, it is time to toss it out and make a fresh batch. Just make sure you place the new bacon fat into a sterilized clean jar, seal it up tightly with a lid and store it in the refrigerator where it is cool and dark,.
How do you know if bacon fat has gone bad?
You will know if you bacon fat has gone bad because it will have a rancid smell too it, or have mold growing on the surface of it because some sort of food particles interacted with it. If your bacon fat smells rancid or has mold growing on the surface of it, it is time to toss it out and make a fresh batch.
My answer was yes, bacon grease can and does go bad, after several months at room temperature. When bacon grease goes bad, it’s actually just the fat molecules breaking down and oxidizing. By this point the grease is no longer edible. It’s not lethal but is may cause an upset stomach.
What is the best substitute for lard?
The best substitute for lard is butter. Unless your recipe says otherwise, you’ll want to use unsalted butter as a substitute in most recipes that call for the lard. There are other alternatives as well.
Can you use coconut oil instead of lard for frying?
If you prefer, you can use shortening or oils like coconut, vegetable, or olive. While butter is your most reliable option, some adjustments need to be made when switching from one fat to the other. Since lard is 100 percent fat and butter contains around 80 percent fat, you’ll want to add more butter to get the fat content right.