53 bacon dripping recipes

Smoky andouille sausage simmered with tender potatoes, onions, and bell peppers in white wine and bacon drippings for Cajun comfort in one pot.

Homemade Nuts and Bolts party mix with almonds, three cereals, pretzels, and cheese crackers baked in a Worcestershire-bacon dripping sauce. Makes 5 quarts for a crowd.

Braised red cabbage with tart apples, red wine, brown sugar, vinegar, and caraway seeds cooked in bacon drippings. A classic German side, good hot or cold.

Homemade dog treats made with whole wheat flour, rolled oats, bacon drippings, and beef stock. Crunchy, wholesome biscuits your pup will go wild for. Makes 30 cookies with just 10 minutes of prep.

Old-fashioned barbecued beans with kidney beans slow-baked for hours in a tangy sauce of ketchup, chili sauce, cider vinegar, brown sugar, and bacon drippings. Sticky, sweet, and deeply savory.

Sybil Carter's homemade barbecue sauce starts with bacon drippings and builds layers of tangy tomato, brown sugar sweetness, mustard bite, and hot pepper heat. Doubles easily and keeps in the fridge for weeks.

A classic French bordelaise sauce built from scratch in three stages: matignon, espagnole, and a red wine reduction finished with poached bone marrow. The ultimate companion for game, beef steaks, and roasts.

Turkey gumbo built from a leftover carcass with a dark roux, okra, smoked sausage, bacon, and Cajun spices. A rich, hearty way to use your holiday turkey.

Cajun chicken sauce piquant with a dark roux, Chablis wine, tomato sauce, stuffed olives, and hot pepper sauce, slow-cooked for hours and served over spaghetti. Big-batch Cajun cooking.

Creamy spinach spread with ranch-flavored cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and crunchy water chestnuts. A no-cook party dip that comes together in five minutes flat.

Authentic frijoles refritos made with cooked beans mashed in lard or bacon drippings and topped with melted longhorn cheese. Three ingredients, 15 minutes, real Mexican flavor.

Spinach alla Romana with pine nuts, raisins, and lard in the traditional Roman style. A classic Italian side dish of wilted spinach with sweet-savory contrasts ready in 25 minutes.

Southern corn lightbread made with cornmeal, buttermilk, and a touch of sugar. A dense, slightly sweet cornbread loaf baked in a loaf pan, just like they make it down South.

Light, fluffy cornmeal dumplings that cook right on top of your soup, stew, or stock in just 15 minutes. Small-batch recipe for one serving, easily doubled. Includes a cheese variation.

Fresh tomato, bacon, and onion fettuccine tossed with crumbled bacon cooked in its own drippings, chopped tomato, and basil. Five ingredients, dinner for two.

Authentic Mexican refried beans cooked with caramelized onions and garlic, mashed to a creamy puree and topped with crumbled queso fresco. A 30-minute side dish that belongs next to every taco night.