From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Subject: Re:  Bacon Drippings - Storage Life?
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 93 22:52:18 GMT

In article <9301062246.AA10074@cs.utexas.edu> asa@STL-09SIMA.ARMY.MIL (Will Martin on 9000) writes:
>Bacon drippings/renderings keep next to forever in the refrigerator; just
>use plastic margarine bowls and add the fresh drippings in a layer on
>top of what is in there. When the bowl is full to the brim snap the lid
>on it and push it to the back of the fridge and begin another. Eventually
>you'll have about 50 pounds of lard in there... :-) (Let the drippings
>cool just a bit but still remain liquid and then pour them into the
>plastic container -- even if it won't take that level of heat normally,
>but would melt, the presence of the cold previous contents of congealed
>fat will absorb enough heat to keep the container safe. It's only the
>first time you put a batch in a new bowl that you have to let it cool to
>barely-melted temperature first...)
>

I prefer to use old jam/jellys jars like the short ones with the red/white
gingham painted lid (they look prettier sitting out than an old plastic
container)

>I think that it keeps even longer the purer it is -- that is, the less
>specks, brown bits, etc. in it. Of course, those are what give it most
>of its flavor! We used to get containers-full of perfectly pure white 
>bacon drippings from a friend of my wife's relatives in rural Illinois --
>they were filtered and strained when saved. But ordinary discolored 
>drippings are actually better for cornbread (which is what I mainly use
>them for).
>

if I'm planning on using the drippings in some cooking I'm going to be
doing shortly, then I'll put the grease into a separate container, drippings
and all - but, since the drippings are what smaoke and burn when you're
doing up eggs or pancakes, the purer the better, so, I take a paper towel
(I get white viva at costco so its cheap to use) and cover the top of my
bacon drippings jar, using my fist, I indent the paper towel enough to make 
a 'bowl', then I secure this with a rubber band - then, I pour the hot
bacon grease in the paper towel bowl, a little at a time so it doesn't
flow over, until its all dripped through - then, I lift the paper towel 
from all its corners and gently pull up, releasing the rubberband into the 
center - then I throw the whole paper towl/rubber band into the trash - 
I save the little red & blue rubber bands from veggies for this purpose

>When you have too much, or if you think the drippings are going bad, don't
>throw them out. Use them with birdseed to make bird-food balls during the
>winter. We give most of our drippings to our next-door neighbor for this
>purpose now.
>


-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin