Can You Cook Sausage in Bacon Grease? Tips and Benefits

Bacon grease is the rendered fat left over from cooking bacon. This flavorful fat imparts a smoky, salty, umami depth perfect for sautéing vegetables, frying eggs, or even adding richness to desserts. But can you also use bacon grease to cook sausage?

The short answer is yes – sausage browns beautifully in bacon fat. The savory drippings add moisture, crispness, and complementary flavors. Follow some simple tips, and cooking sausage in bacon grease offers several advantages over other fats or oils.

Key Benefits of Cooking Sausage in Bacon Grease

• Flavor – Bacon grease gives sausage a smoky, salty, meaty taste.
• Browning – Bacon fat crisps and browns sausage better than oil due to milk solids
• Moisture – Allows sausage to fry instead of baking dry in the oven.
• Fat quality – Healthier than vegetable oils if from high-quality bacon.
• Economical – Utilizes free leftover fat instead of buying more oil.
• Nonstick – Prevents sausage from sticking to the pan.
• Versatile – Works with any pork, turkey, chicken, or beef sausage.

By amplifying flavor and texture, bacon grease takes ordinary sausage to the next level with little effort.

Best Sausage Varieties for Cooking in Bacon Grease

The rich, smoky taste of bacon grease complements these sausage styles especially well:

• Breakfast sausage (mild or spicy)
• Bratwurst
• Chorizo
• Italian sausage (hot or sweet)
• Kielbasa
• Smoked sausage
• Chicken apple sausage
• Turkey sausage
• Savory plant-based sausage

Thoroughly-cooked smoked sausages may need just a quick crisping in the bacon fat. Raw sausages require cooking through fully to 160°F internal temperature.

Avoid extremely lean sausage, which may become dry. Medium fat content balances the bacon grease best.

How to Cook Sausage in Bacon Grease – Step by Step

Follow these simple steps for delicious sausage sautéed in flavorful bacon drippings:

1. Cook Bacon & Reserve Grease

Fry regular sliced bacon or bacon lardons until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel to drain. Carefully pour hot grease into a heat-safe container.

2. Prepare Sausage

If using links, slice diagonally into bite-sized pieces. For bulk sausage, divide and shape into patties. Cut before cooking as sausage shrinks once heated.

3. Heat Skillet Over Medium Heat

Preheat a skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Add just enough bacon grease to coat the bottom with a thin layer.

4. Brown Sausage In Hot Grease

When grease shimmers, add sausage pieces or patties. Cook 4-6 minutes per side until browned. Adjust heat so bacon fat doesn’t scorch.

5. Cook Through Fully

Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook sausage until no longer pink inside, 10-15 minutes for raw meat. Fully cooked sausage needs just a quick crisping.

6. Enjoy!

Drain sausage on paper towels and serve hot. Refrigerate extra bacon grease for future recipes.

Follow this easy technique for fast weeknight dinners, weekend brunches, or meal prep.

Cooking Tips for Sausage in Bacon Grease

• Choose a heavy skillet to prevent burning from high heat. Cast iron or carbon steel works beautifully.
• Start with a thin 1/8 inch layer of grease. Add more sparingly if needed.
• Use grease while still warm to prevent clumping or sticking.
• Fry over medium heat to render fat slowly without scorching milk solids.
• Turn sausage gently with tongs or spatula to keep patties intact.
• Let sausage finish cooking through once nicely browned.
• Add sliced onions or peppers once sausage browns for extra flavor.
• Mix in cooked crumbled bacon after frying for a complete meaty meal.

With the right techniques, cooking sausage in bacon grease delivers deliciously crispy, smoky results.

How to Store Leftover Bacon Grease

Bacon grease keeps best in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 month. For longer storage, keep frozen up to 6 months. Reheat gently before using again.

Grease will separate into layers in the fridge. The opaque fat hardens on top with flavorful gelatin solids settling on the bottom. Either remix layers gently, or just use the clean fat cap.

Some also strain the solids out through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve. But leaving them in adds more flavor and crunch.

Is Cooking Sausage in Bacon Grease Unhealthy?

While bacon grease packs a flavor punch, overdoing it can raise some health concerns:

• High in saturated fat – Limit intake of saturated fats for heart health.
• Contains nitrites – Cured bacon has sodium nitrite, which may form carcinogens when burned.
• Potential contaminants – Grease exposed to meat may harbor Salmonella or E. coli.

In moderation, the benefits seem to outweigh any risks, especially if using high-quality artisan bacon. But heavily processed bacon or daily use may pose problems.

For the best nutrition, skip using bacon grease for leaner meats like poultry breast or fish. Stick to fattier sausages that benefit most from the added richness.

Perfect Pairings for Sausage & Bacon Grease

Cook sausage in bacon fat, then serve topped or paired with:

• Eggs – Fried, scrambled, poached, omelets
• Gravy – For breakfast biscuits & gravy
• Grits – Cheesy grits topped with crumbled sausage
• Hash – With potatoes, peppers, onions
• Mac and cheese – Mix in browned sausage
• pasta – Tossed with pasta in a creamy sauce
• Rice – Add to jambalaya or dirty rice
• Sandwiches – On rolls, biscuits or inside omelets
• Skewers – Alternate with vegetables on kabobs
• Soup – Blanch then stir into bean, veggie or potato soups
• Tacos – Inside breakfast tacos or taco salad
• Waffles – Top chicken & waffles with spicy sausage

With so many possibilities, cooking sausage in bacon grease opens up a world of quick, easy, flavorful meals.

Give Sausage Sautéed in Bacon Grease a Try

Best of all, this technique only requires two ingredients you likely have on hand – sausage and leftover bacon drippings. With minimal effort, let flavorful rendered bacon fat take your sausage to the next level.

Fry up a test batch and experience how the smokiness and seasoning perfectly balance and enhance standard sausage. Just beware – once you discover how delicious sausage is when cooked in bacon grease, you may never want it any other way again!