Bacon grease may taste great, but that’s the only good thing about it! Frying bacon in your kitchen can cause quite a mess with all of the bacon grease dripping down your stove and counters, and into your sink. Here are some ways to properly dispose of this leftover grease so that you won’t have to worry about having to clean it up later.
How Can I Safely Dispose of Bacon Grease
In this guide, we offer advice on how to dispose of bacon grease as well as how to store it, what to do with it, and how long it can be kept for use in savory food preparation.
Blot It Up
Don’t pour bacon grease down your sink, as it will clog your pipes and likely make you want to hurl. Next time you cook up a package of bacon, carefully pour off any excess grease into a bowl or other container and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Place it in your refrigerator until it hardens, then throw it away with your regular trash.
If you don’t have room in your fridge, try freezing it for later disposal.
Freeze It Up
A large chunk of bacon grease can be stored in a freezer, but if you have just a tablespoon or little left over from your breakfast scramble, add it to an ice cube tray and freeze it. By using very small portions, you can avoid having any wasted grease while still having enough on hand to use later.
To use it, simply pop out one cube and toss it into your skillet or pan. That’s all there is to it! They’re incredibly easy to store and remove so you can be sure you won’t forget about them.
When they come out, they’ll melt down quickly. Just make sure that any bacon grease you store comes from beef, not pork: Pork fat has higher levels of saturated fats than beef fat does. Saturated fats are more likely to increase cholesterol levels in your blood, which increases your risk for heart disease.
And remember: Don’t cook with bacon grease more than once; you don’t want to increase your chances of developing cancer by eating it repeatedly.
Pour It Down The Drain
While you can pour bacon grease down the drain, it’s not the best method. That greasy pan full of bacon fat is not doing your pipes any favors. Aside from being messy, drips and clogs can cost you serious cash if they end up making you call a plumber. It’s best to pour out hot bacon grease into an old coffee can or some other container (make sure it has a lid).
Once it’s cooled down and solidified, you can either toss it in your garbage bin (if there are no signs that it might leak or spill) or put it in a plastic bag and set it outside on your curb for garbage collection day. Just make sure that you don’t pour cold grease down your drain!
The National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors recommends pouring 1 cup of vinegar down your drain every month to help prevent gunk buildup. If you have a grease trap in your sink or disposal unit, clean it out once every two months with dish soap and warm water. If all else fails, contact a professional for help getting rid of bacon grease safely.
Put It In A Canister
The easiest way to get rid of bacon grease is simply to dump it into a canister and store it in your freezer. Freezing solidifies bacon grease and makes it easier to dispose of later.
To eliminate an unpleasant odor, you might want to leave your canister outside for a few hours before putting it in your freezer. That way, when you open your freezer, you’ll smell fresh air instead of bacon.
Bacon scented candles are also popular, so if that’s something you enjoy smelling around your home, go ahead and light one! Just don’t forget to put out your candle when you’re done or else you could accidentally start a fire.
Add It To Soil
The best way to dispose of bacon grease is through composting. One tablespoon of bacon grease can provide 1,000 calories worth of energy to your garden. Since the concept of reusing and recycling is highly encouraged, it only makes sense that you could use a little bit of discarded fat in your soil!
Keep an old coffee can in your freezer filled with used fat drippings (including bacon, pancake, and cooking oil) for future plantings. Just spoon them into your planter each spring when you’re getting started with new plants and before you add any other kindling material like dirt or rocks.
If it’s not cold outside and you have room in your refrigerator, pour those globs in there until springtime rolls around again.
Use a Microwaveable Container
If you’re going to be cooking bacon in large batches, use a microwaveable container. Place as much bacon grease in that container as possible and cover it with a lid. Once your bacon is cooked, allow it to cool completely before placing it into the container.
Store that container in a cool place until you can take it outside and throw it away (in an outside trashcan). If you have leftover bacon, store that separate from your bacon grease so any meat juices don’t mix with it; throw out your leftovers after 24 hours without refrigeration.
When throwing out your bacon grease, make sure to do so in an area where animals or children won’t get at it. Bacon grease can be toxic if ingested by animals or small children. If you are unable to throw it away immediately, freeze it instead! It will keep for up to three months when frozen properly.
TIP: Take advantage of using parchment paper! Rather than using aluminum foil or plastic wrap, use parchment paper instead. Parchment paper doesn’t absorb fat like aluminum foil does and helps protect against bacteria growth as the plastic wrap does! To make cleanup easier when you’re done cooking with parchment paper, just toss it along with everything else into the garbage. There’s no need for extra cleanup!
Can You Pour Bacon Grease Down The Drain With Hot Water?
Yes, you can. Be sure to let it cool first. Once you’ve melted it down in a pan, strain out as many bacon bits as possible. Then transfer your bacon grease to a coffee can or other disposable container and place it into a pot full of hot water (be careful not to scald yourself).
Allow it to soak for several hours. When you’re ready, pour in your drain stopper with some warm water and let it sit there for at least 20 minutes before running some hot water down your drain. While there are more eco-friendly options available on the market today, sometimes it’s just easier to do things yourself! It costs less money and there’s no wait time!
Bottomline
Most people dispose of bacon grease in one of two ways: they either pour it down a sink or toilet drain, or they throw it in a garbage can. While these methods may seem perfectly innocent, there are dangers associated with each that you need to be aware of.
For example, if you pour bacon grease down your kitchen sink—or any sink for that matter—you risk clogging your pipes. Allowing grease to accumulate in a pipe will cause it to become too narrow for water and sewage to pass through freely.
If enough grease builds up over time, water can no longer flow properly through your pipes. This can lead to all sorts of problems like flooding, water damage, mold growth, and more. Follow the methods above when disposing of your bacon grease to avoid plumbing problems.
