Photo: pittaya (Shutterstock)
I get ideas for cooking tips and food hacks from odd places–video games, street trash, being too lazy to do things the “right” way, you get me–but some ideas come from the most wholesome source: Y’all asking great questions in the comments section. Recently, a forward-thinker asked if it’s okay to put bacon grease in a waffle iron. Not only is it okay, it’s inspired.
Making crispy, chewy, salty bacon, requires rendering out a good deal of fat. While some (non-Southern types) discard it, they shouldn’t. It’s a great multi-purpose cooking grease. Store your bacon drippings the right way, so you always have it on hand. I don’t make bacon frequently, but I have a tiny turquoise bowl for collecting bacon fat when the occasion presents itself.
Preheat the waffle maker and prepare your favorite batter. The bacon drippings should be liquid or at least softened. Use a pastry brush to safely brush the fat onto the hot waffle iron, making sure to get in the grooves of the mold. Pour in the batter and cook as usual.
If you’re in the market for waffle makers, here are some of the top players:
Initially, I was under the impression that my waffles would taste like salty meat, but the effects were subtle. The waffle batter I used had a little sugar in it, and leans sweet. The bacon fat balanced the flavor profile and tilted it back to savory, without making it outright salty. In fact, the fat barely added any saltiness at all. I mostly noticed umami and a touch of smoke, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly porky. The grease made the waffles more open to savory fillings and toppings instead of the typical fruit compote and maple syrup.
You can also make this a one “pan” event. If you didn’t save your bacon grease from a prior meal, just cook your bacon in the waffle iron. The bacon will come out crispy and the fat will render off into the grooves of the waffle pattern. You can just remove the bacon, dab out any excess grease with a crumpled paper towel, and add the waffle batter. Use this flavorsome run-off to waffle all of your favorite things and keep them from sticking. At the end of my bacon grease waffling, I like to toss in a couple hash browns. You know, to help clean it.
