Bacon grease isn't a seasoning hack like I thought

So I kept seeing people online say to just cook bacon in your cast iron to build up the seasoning. I tried it for like 3 months straight, maybe 2-3 times a week, cooking thick cut bacon from the local butcher. But my pan just got this sticky, gummy layer that started flaking off into my eggs. I finally asked my buddy who restores old skillets what gives. He said bacon has sugar and sometimes nitrates that leave residue, not real seasoning. All that time I thought I was doing good and I was just making a mess. Now I just do thin coats of crisco in the oven after cleaning. Anyone else fall for the bacon trick and have to strip their pan down?

3 comments

3 Comments

schmidt.amy1mo agoMost Upvoted

I did the exact same thing for about 2 months with a cheap lodge pan from walmart. The bacon left this nasty sticky film that would never fully harden. I scrubbed it with kosher salt and a chainmail scrubber and it still looked gross. When I finally stripped it with oven cleaner and reseasoned with grapeseed oil the difference was night and day. The pan became nonstick for eggs after just 3 rounds. Now I only use high smoke point oils like avocado or grapeseed for seasoning. Bacon grease goes into a jar for cooking beans or potatoes not for the pan coating.

the_simon29d ago

bacon left this nasty sticky film" - did you ever figure out why that happens with bacon specifically? I've heard mixed things about sugar content in commercial bacon causing it but never got a straight answer.

ross.river29d ago

Huh, I always thought bacon fat was perfect for seasoning. Guess I was wrong.