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Allrecipes / Fred Hardy
I’ll never forget an interesting interaction I had several years ago at a work dinner. I was in the midst of enjoying my main course: a hearty salad. It was crisp, bright, satisfying, and exactly what I was in the mood for that night. “Aren’t you hungry?” someone asked me, thinking that was the only reason I’d “only” be eating salad. When I responded that I was, in fact, quite hungry and craving a big, hearty salad, her response was that she could never quite understand how people opt for salad as their entire dinner.
We’ve all met a salad skeptic or two (or 10). Here was someone who had probably only ever experienced basic, boring salads. Luckily, she was open-minded and eager to hear some of my favorite ways to transform salad into a satisfying and delicious main event.
While using proteins like Buffalo chicken or marinated steak, crunchy fixings like candied nuts or seasoned homemade croutons, grains like quinoa, and cheese like grilled Halloumi sparked her interest, one tip in my arsenal really got her attention: I add bacon fat to my vinaigrette salad dressing.
Why Put Bacon Fat in Vinaigrette?
Bacon fat, also known as bacon grease or bacon drippings, is the fat that drips from bacon when it cooks. This is a rich, flavorful, and versatile ingredient to have in your kitchen arsenal, and a wonderful addition to many recipes, like this cornbread or red snapper. I love adding bacon fat to vinaigrettes for a bit of saltiness and smoky, umami flavor. This is a simple and delicious way to level up salads during the week with a quick dressing that doesn’t slack on savory flavor or luscious texture.
How to Store Bacon Fat for Making Vinaigrette
Storing bacon fat is easy! After cooking up a bunch of bacon (you’re welcome), cool the remaining fat slightly, and then strain through a mesh sieve to remove any bacon bits. Bacon remnants can cause the fat to spoil faster, so this will keep it fresh longer. Pour the strained bacon fat into an airtight glass jar while still warm and in liquid form. Store it in the refrigerator for up to six months, scooping from the jar as needed, and adding to the jar whenever you cook bacon.
I prefer to store bacon fat in the refrigerator because I think the flavor is stronger, but if you want to preserve it for longer periods of time, store bacon fat in the freezer for up to one year. If you are freezing it, I suggest using a silicone ice tray, so you can pop out portions as needed, rather than chipping away at a cold glass jar.
How to Make Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette (with Bacon Fat!)
My favorite quick and easy vinaigrette to whip up for a weeknight salad is this creamy, tangy shallot vinaigrette, made richer and more flavorful with the addition of smoky and savory bacon fat. To prevent the bacon flavor from becoming overpowering, I combine a neutral oil with the bacon fat and whisk it into a bowl. Combining the oil and bacon grease allows the components of the salad to shine, but adds a special oomph to the mix.
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 3/4 cup neutral oil (avocado oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil)
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat, melted
Directions
Recipe Tip
To safely melt solidified bacon grease, place it in a microwave-safe dish and microwave in 5-second increments until melted. Let cool slightly before adding to the vinaigrette to avoid "cooking" the egg yolk.
Hearty Dinner Salads Made Better with Bacon
Flat Iron Steak and Spinach Salad: Earthy spinach and rich bacon are a perfect match when it comes to building salads. This steak and spinach salad is topped with peppers, mushrooms, and tender and juicy flat iron steak. This recipe calls for Italian dressing, and you can incorporate two to three tablespoons of melted bacon fat to intensify all of the smoky, savory flavors.
Cobb Salad: A classic Cobb salad is one of the best dinner options because it’s loaded with filling and flavorful ingredients like grilled chicken and bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese, and more. To add even more rich bacon flavor to the dish, add one to two tablespoons of melted bacon fat to the dressing of your choice. This recipe calls for ranch dressing, but you can always make your own!
Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad: Brussels sprouts and bacon are one of my favorite things to bring together in a recipe, and salads are no exception. In this cruciferous salad, earthy, slightly bitter, raw chopped Brussels sprouts are mixed with different flavors and textures from crunchy, sweet apples, tangy, chewy dried cranberries, and nutty seeds before being tossed with an apple cider vinaigrette. When you make the vinaigrette, similar to my recipe above, combine one to two tablespoons of melted bacon fat with sunflower seed oil for added umami flavor.
Summer Grilled Shrimp Salad: This vibrant shrimp salad features sweet and smoky grilled shrimp tossed with fresh vegetables, greens, and a sweet, tangy, earthy cilantro vinaigrette. To complement the smoky, hickory flavors of plump grilled shrimp, add one to two tablespoons of melted bacon fat to the extra virgin olive oil when making the vinaigrette.
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