Mmm, Bacon! New Ways to Use It In the House

Entice Rodents. If the rodents in your house have gotten wise to your minty ways, it’s time to break out the bacon guns. Bacon has a potent, delicious smell, and the scent tends to stick around longer than other meats such as chicken or beef. Use a piece of bacon as bait and mice (like many humans) won’t be able to resist the deliciously tempting smell! They’ll be lured into your trap in no time. Once mice are out of the house, keep them away with these tips!

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Make Candles. In this age of electronic toothbrushes and crazy kitchen gadgets, sometimes it’s nice to slow down and appreciate old-fashioned pleasures. Like candlelight and bacon fat. Our ancestors used fats and oils for fuel and light, so why can’t you? All you need to make your own bacon candle is: rendered bacon fat, wax and a glass container (canning jars work great). For step-by-step instructions, visit Poor Taste.

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Enjoy Avocado-Bacon Toast. If you're short on bacon fat to use around the house, just make more bacon! That’s where Panini Happy comes in. To make these incredible avocado-bacon toast slices, you only need bread, olive oil, bacon, avocados and a lime. They’re super easy to make and really delicious. When you’re ready to make these savory treats, check out the detailed recipe.

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Season Cast Iron. Grandma’s cast iron skillet is better than yours. And that’s not because it’s older or bigger or magical – she just knows how to season it! Cast iron skillets don’t come out of the box with a nonstick surface, perfect seasoning comes from cooking delicious meals.

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To speed up the seasoning process, coat your skillet with bacon fat and then bake it (empty) at 350° F for an hour or so. To keep the flavor safe, make sure you clean your cast iron properly and avoid using soap or detergent. Soapsuds will remove your seasoning and send you back to Bland Town, USA!

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Keep water in the pot. A watched pot may not boil, but once things get rolling, it will definitely boil over! Use bacon grease to keep your pot from overflowing and making a huge mess. Next time you’re making pasta, drop a dollop of bacon grease into the boiling water. It will not boil over. Period. Bonus: The bacon grease keeps your noodles from sticking together!

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Make amazing pancakes. Step up your pancake-game with a little bacon! Cook your bacon first (on the stove), and leave the grease in the pan. Then, use the same pan to make your famous cakes as usual. The flavor of the bacon grease will add a perfect pinch of special flavor! Shh. This is our little cooking secret, okay?

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Attract birds. Some people use a pinecone and peanut butter to bring birds and other wildlife to their backyard, but that’s not the only way. Simply smear a tiny amount of leftover bacon grease onto a pine cone or a slab of wood! To put a cherry on top of your bacon-grease sundae, roll it in birdseed. Hang your creation from a tree with string or just set it on the ground near your window. Enjoy the view!

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