Having both bacon fat and butter in the kitchen is quite beneficial. After all, they both have unique traits that make them wonderful staples in the kitchen. And when you use any of them in any recipe that requires them, be sure to get all the benefits.
However, they also have things that distinguish one from the other. So, choosing one might seem difficult for anyone who wants to make some recipes in the kitchen.
But it doesn’t have to be so. So, you need a thorough guide to help you choose the right one.
And here in this guide is valuable information on bacon fat vs butter. Read on to find out now.
Contents
Which is the best bacon fat vs butter?
Bacon fat and butter are both unique and can be of great use in the kitchen. Many people use bacon fat to prepare a good number of dishes. The same goes for butter.
Depending on what you want to get out of your recipe, any of the ingredients— bacon fat or butter can be the best for your recipe.
Both bacon fat and butter contain acceptable and enviable nutrients that make them great ingredients when it’s time to make recipes that call for them. No wonder one can replace the other in many recipes. In fact, many people use them interchangeably.
But before you dive right into choosing any of them, let’s have a look at each of these ingredients.
Read: 10 Best Substitutes For Provolone Cheese
Bacon fat
Also known as bacon grease or bacon drippings, bacon fat is fat that is gotten from bacon; basically, pork meat. Bacon fat is a great ingredient that many people use to either fry or cook any meal that requires oil or butter.
How do you make bacon fat? Bacon fat is simply gotten by cooking bacon and extracting the extra fat that comes out from bacon.
Remove the fat and pour it into a jar, a transparent jar preferably. Then you can store it for some time.
Uses of bacon fat
There are many things that you can do with bacon fat. Bacon fat has a flavorful fat and can easily change the taste of the recipes you use them in.
Many people use bacon fat to make refried beans or black beans. You can equally use bacon fat to make Brussels.
Bacon fat is great if you wish to brown your rice. You can use bacon fat to make scrambled eggs as well. So when it’s that time of the year to make some quick outdoor meal, bacon fat is great as an ingredient.
Bacon fat can also comfortably replace oil or butter in recipes that call for them.
How to store bacon fat: to store bacon fat so you can use it, you can store it on the kitchen counter, and use it when the need calls for it.
More so, you can store bacon fat in the refrigerator so it lasts for a longer time.
How long can bacon fat last?
Bacon fat can last up to 2 to 3 weeks when you store them on the kitchen counter. However, if you store it in the fridge, it can last up to 1 year.
Storing bacon fat is a guarantee that it would last for you.
Do not store bacon fat in a tropical environment. Light, air, and heat would make the bacon fat go rancid. So try not to expose it to sunlight and heat or oxygen so you maintain the texture of bacon fat.
Now, let’s find out about butter,
Butter
Basically, butter is a fatty foodstuff made by mixing the cream of milk and churning the cream. So just like bacon, fat butter is made from fat also, except that it is made using mainly cow’s milk.
After which, the butter would turn solid when stored in a cool or dry place, mostly at room temperature.
Butter cannot only be churned from cow’s milk. Milk from other mammals, including goats, buffalo, and sheep, can make butter. Sometimes salt and foods are added to the butter to add some taste to it.
The end product would lead to a yellow-to-white solid color; this, in most cases, would vary from one manufacturer to another.
Most of the world’s milk production is highly marked out for making butter.
Uses of butter
- Butter is used as a spread. Many people enjoy their bread or biscuits with butter generously spread in between a cut bread or two biscuits.
- Many restaurants and households use butter to toast their bread and other ingredients.
- Butter is a great substitute for oil most times, so it would stand-in for oil when the time comes and you cannot get a hold of oil.
- Other times, butter is one big ingredient that you can use to bake food, cake, bread, and a lot more!
Butter is more than a must-have in homes and for many people that enjoy baking.
How do you store butter? Well, like bacon fat, butter also does not need direct exposure to sunlight or heat; it can melt it.
So, it is best you store butter in a refrigerator or on a counter in a cool and dry place. This would help hold it while stays for as long as you want it.
How long does butter last?
Butter can last for 6 months when you store them in the refrigerator. However, you will notice some changes in its taste and freshness after some months in the fridge, 3 months precisely.
More so, storing on the shelf is not always a way to go the butter might last for some time if not opened, however, once you crack the seal and still store it on the counter, it wouldn’t take long for the butter will turn rancid. And most times mold will grow it is especially if there are food particles in it.
So, we advise you to use it before it spoils.
Read: 6 Best Substitutes For Paneer
Similarities of bacon fat vs butter
Bacon fat and butter are great ingredients in the kitchen. They both contain nutrients which make it hard to choose one. However, your choice would depend heavily on what works for your recipe. Otherwise, you might settle for substitutions.
- Both bacon fat and butter are high in calories and saturated fat. This is most especially for unsalted butter.
- In most cases, both butter and bacon contain a similar amount of sugar level.
- More so, bacon fat and unsalted butter are low in carbohydrates.
- Both bacon fat and butter can replace oil in recipes that require some relatable amount of oil. However, unlike oil, butter or bacon fat cannot stand long heating. So, it is mainly great for roasting or cooking on moderate heat.
Differences between bacon fat vs butter
Now, when it comes to making the choice of what ingredient to end up with, you must be mindful of the choice that would not affect your recipe.
- While butter has this mild or plain flour and can cook a meal without altering the taste, bacon fat can really change the taste of your recipe by offering the fragrance of bacon. Now, although this seems harmless, if you do not want bacon taste at all, bacon fat would dishonor your choice.
- Bacon fat has more saturated fat than butter. These fats are good fats.
- Most of the time, it would be uneasy to use bacon fat where butter would sit perfectly. Using bacon fat o bake would not give you the same consistency that butter gives. So, unless your recipe can be substituted with bacon fat, it is not right to use it to bake.
If it is your first time baking, you can get butter in grocery stores if you don’t have butter handy.
Helpful tips
In case you want to do away with your bacon fat, it is not ideal to pour the grease into the drain as it would cause clogging.
Do not also throw any hot bacon fat into the waste bin, it might melt it. To do away with bacon fat, it is better to freeze your bacon grease until it solidifies then you can throw it in the bin.
Read: 11 Best Substitutes For Milk in Mac And Cheese
Conclusion
This is all there is to know about bacon fat vs butter. So, if you have always found it difficult making a pick, congratulations, we just made it easier for you.
Although bacon fat and butter are great essentials in the kitchen, you should know which one works for your recipe.
And if you have the two on your kitchen counter or fridge, you have nothing to worry about. You have all the time to explore in your kitchen.
We hope you make the best out of them!