If you cook bacon often, you will notice that there are usually huge fat leftovers domicile in the pan after cooking. And if you store the bacon fat often, the familiar question is always, “what's the best way to store it?
The article is dedicated to giving you the right information about bacon grease and how wrong it can go, that is if it can.
How long does bacon grease can be kept?
A. Homemade
Stored at room temperature or below room temperature, it can last about 6 months.
Store in the fridge, the shelf life would be longer, at last about a year.
However, if you use bacon grease seldom or want to store longer, storing in the freezer is a good option for bacon grease kept in freeze can last over a year.
B. Commercially Sold
- Best-by Date on The Label
Bacon grease bought from a store always has a best-by date on the label. However, it’s just a rough estimate date. The shelf life of bacon grease can last at least several months after the specified date. That means, even you find the bacon grease has passed the date a couple of months, you can still consume it. On condition that it's unopened.
- Only The Production Date
However, some bacon grease does not have any best-by date but just a production date on the label. If properly stored, the bacon grease can retain at least two years.
How to Tell if Bacon Grease Goes Bad?
There are signs that tell if the bacon grease has spoilt or at the verge of spoiling. When you notice the following signs, it means your bacon grease has already spoilt and you shouldn't consume it anymore.
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Discoloration
Yes, discoloration is also a sign of spoilage in bacon, but it is not too obvious. The thing is, the bacon is still considered safe if its natural color of pink turns white or yellow. But if it happens to turn blue, brown, green, or gray, it is considered spoilt already. This is caused by too much exposure to air; too much exposure to air triggers some chemical reactions on the meat, which leads to the change of color.
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Mold
When molds happen in bacon, it becomes odorous and completely undesirable. Molds greatly reduce this bacon's nutritional value. It's not recommended that cut some mold out and continue consuming the decrease but getting rid of moldy bacon.
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Rancidification
Rancidification is defined as the process of either a complete or incomplete hydrolysis of oil and fat when it is exposed to open air, moisture, or light. This, therefore, results in the production of nasty odor and taste. Bacon rancidification when it is stored for long. To prevent rancidification, antioxidants are used, it delays the rancidity because of the oxidation.
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Terrible Taste
Bad taste in bacon is caused by rancidification. Some of the antioxidants include tocopherols and vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Some synthetic antioxidants include butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ethoxyquin, propel gallate, TBHQ, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), etc. Because natural antioxidants short-lives, synthetic antioxidants are the most preferred due to their longer shelf-life characteristics.
How to Prolong The Shelf life of Bacon Grease?
A. Homemade
- For homemade bacon grease, it's better to use an airtight or a big jar thus you can easily seal and scoop it.
- Pour into the container after it's totally cooled but not solidify tough, then sealed tightly.
- It would go rancid fast if you strain chunks and bacon together.
- Store in the fridge can prolong the shelf life of bacon grease bacon
Tips:
- Use cleaned containers
- Keep the temperature between 50F to 70̊ F
- Change your container every 3 to 6 months
- Do not return to the fridge after unthawed, and consumed them up in the next days
- Do not use plastic containers for hot grease would burn them.
- Glass and ceramic containers could prevent other external odors.
B. Commercial sold
Generally, commercially sold bacon grease does not need to keep in the fridge unless the package specially tells, and just put in the pantry or kitchen is OK.
Sealed tightly when not use. Keep away from any source of heat, for it starts to liquefy once the temperature above 80°F (or 26°C).
Do not save and reuse the cooked bacon grease
How to Discard Bacon Fat Correctly?
To get rid of the bacon grease, you have to get a small cup with some large foil, gently pour the bacon grease into a cup while it is still hot, then place it in the freezer to cool off. When it must have frozen, it will be up to you to decide what to do with it, it is either you save it for frying or just discard it if you wish by folding it up in the foil and trash it. Don't pour it down the drain directly, it can clog your pipes.
Conclusion
Every time you use the bacon grease, check the conditions first. Once there’s something wrong, toss it decisively! Spoiled food may cause food poison, which can be avoided easily.
