Can You Buy Bacon Grease at Kroger?

Bacon grease is a delicious cooking fat that many home cooks love to use. But with fewer people cooking bacon at home it can be hard to get your hands on bacon fat these days. Luckily select Kroger stores do sell pre-rendered bacon grease for all your cooking needs!

What is Bacon Grease?

Bacon grease, also called bacon fat, is the rendered fat that comes from cooking bacon. Once the bacon is crispy, the fatty drippings left in the skillet are bacon grease. This flavorful fat has a smoky, salty, umami taste from the bacon.

Bacon grease used to be saved and treasured in many home kitchens. After frying up a batch of bacon for breakfast cooks would strain out the crispy bits and store the liquid fat. Then they’d use it for cooking eggs sautéing veggies, roasting potatoes, and more. The bacon grease added rich, bacony flavor to everything it touched.

But with the recent shunning of fats and rise of heart-healthy cooking, bacon grease fell out of favor. Instead of saving it, most people started throwing it away However, bacon grease is making a comeback now with the high-fat, low-carb diets trending today

Benefits and Uses of Bacon Grease

So why cook with bacon grease? Here are some of the benefits of using this tasty fat:

• Adds bacon flavor – Any dish will taste like bacon when you cook it in bacon fat. It’s a easy way to make veggies, eggs, meats, etc taste smoky and salty.

• High smoke point – Bacon grease won’t burn or smoke like butter or olive oil when cooking over high heat. It’s great for sautéing, stir-frying, roasting, grilling, etc.

• Natural source of fat – The fat from bacon is an unprocessed, natural animal fat. Bacon grease contains less inflammatory omega-6’s than vegetable oils.

• Makes food crispy – Foods like potatoes and Brussels sprouts get super crispy and delicious when roasted in bacon grease.

• Adds richness – A little bacon grease balances out acidic foods like tomatoes or bitter greens. It also makes lean meats juicier.

• Imparts umami flavor – Umami is considered the “fifth taste” and brings a savory, mouthwatering flavor. Bacon grease contains natural umami components.

From eggs and hashbrowns to roasted veggies and popcorn, bacon grease is endlessly versatile in the kitchen. It’s great for general cooking but also perfect for specific recipes like bacon jam, salad dressings, or baked goods. Any time you want to add a smoky, salty, porky flavor, consider using bacon grease.

Where to Buy Bacon Grease from Kroger

Now that you know all the reasons to cook with bacon grease, where can you buy it? While some grocery stores like Whole Foods sell bacon fat in their meat departments, Kroger keeps it with the oils and shortenings.

Here are the Kroger products to look for:

• Private Selection Rendered Bacon Fat – Sold in a 13 oz tub near the oils, this is real bacon fat from Kroger’s premium private label brand.

• Bacon Up Bacon Fat – This is a 7 oz jar of 100% rendered, filtered bacon grease. Kroger also sells Bacon Up infused olive and avocado oils.

So check the oil/shortening aisle at your local Kroger or Kroger-owned store like Ralph’s, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, etc. The tubs are often located near the lard and coconut oil.

You can also ask the butcher counter or meat department if they have any extra bacon fat they’ll render for you. Some Kroger delis sell their unused bacon drippings.

How to Store and Use Bacon Grease

Bacon grease should be stored properly to preserve freshness and avoid rancidity. Here are some tips:

• Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. The fat may solidify and turn white.

• For longer storage up to 6 months, put it in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge before using.

• Don’t let it sit out on the counter or it can go rancid quickly. Use clean utensils to remove portions to avoid contamination.

• Heat it gently on the stove or in the microwave until melted when ready to use.

• Strain out any crispy bacon bits before cooking with it.

• Add just like you would oil or butter – a tablespoon at a time to coat the pan.

• Clean the grease out of pans to avoid burnt bacon flavor in other dishes.

• Be mindful of health if using often, as bacon grease is high in saturated fat and calories.

Bacon grease is shelf-stable once opened, but it’s always best to use oils and fats within a few months for the freshest taste.

Recipes Using Bacon Grease

Here are just a few of the many recipe ideas for using up bacon fat:

• Brussels sprouts – Toss halved Brussels sprouts with bacon grease, salt, and pepper then roast in the oven until crispy.

• Popcorn – Pop popcorn on the stove then drizzle with bacon grease and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

• Baked potatoes – Rub russet potatoes with bacon grease and bake until crispy, tender insides.

• Sauteed greens – Kale, chard, spinach – they all taste great sautéed in bacon grease with garlic.

• Eggs – Fry eggs in bacon grease for diner-style breakfast. Or grease a muffin tin then bake the eggs.

• Bacon jam – Cook down onions and apple in bacon grease then mix in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.

• Bacon mayonnaise – Add crispy bacon bits and bacon fat to store-bought mayo for an easy sandwich spread.

• Bacon vinaigrette – Whisk together bacon grease, Dijon mustard, and vinegar for a warm salad dressing.

With so many uses, bacon grease is a versatile and flavorful fat to keep on hand in your kitchen. Next time you’re shopping at Kroger, check the oil aisle for pre-rendered bacon fat.