Gross or not?

[UnderBellyLaughs]

Long-time practice picked up from my grandma. When we cook a roast, we always save the fat - dripping - and re-use for the next roast, or roast potatoes, or to make roux for gravy.
Recently discussing fatbergs with friends, all agreeing how yucky it is that people pour fat down the sink. I said that we save fat and put it in the fridge so it solidifies. My friends looked at me, aghast, and one said, ‘but surely just to make it easier to throw away, you can’t possibly use it...’. I gave a non-committal response, but am now not sure if we’re being thrifty or whether this is a disgusting practice.
(FWIW, the dripping makes the best roast potatoes).

[Fr0g]

usually save it but never get around to using it - but at least it solidifies and gets thrown away rather than contributing to a fatberg ::)

[Dontsweatthelittlestuff]

If you don’t want to reuse it then put it out for the birds.

[HowlsMovingBungalow]

My grandma and my mother always had a 'dripping' bowl in the fridge for reusing fat. I guess it is disgusting if you are vegan or veggie?
I buy tallow soaps (animal fat) so a fellow fat recycler!

[GreenFingersWouldBeHandy]

Nothing wrong with that! And you've just reminded me that I've got some in the freezer I can use to make gravy with tonight. Yum!

Really wasteful otherwise. And contributes to the 'fatbergs' in the sewers.

[dynami]

Dripping on toast is amazing. I don’t understand why people don’t save it. But also witnessed at a friends house half a chicken being binned. Excuse they’d eaten the easy to remove meat

[DirtyWindow]

I'm vegetarian and I don't think it's disgusting.

If you're going to kill an animal to eat it then it's far better to make the most out of it rather than throwing bits away.

[isseywith4vampirecats]

Im of the generation that was brought up on dripping on bread between coming in from school and eating dinner if you were peckish i could never make dripping like my mom it was meaty and tasty

[confusedandemployed]

My grandparents always did this, the roasties were amazing. I rarely do a roast dinner, otherwise I would do this too.

[Loyaultemelie]

I'm veggie almost vegan and I approve of this! My Nanny and DM used to do this (dm probably still does). Rest of family are meat eaters and we use ours to make the dogs spuds and gravy

[Knittedfairies]

Ohh... now I want dripping toast!

[BrettAndersonscheekbones]

Yep my mum (in her 70s) always saved the fat and stashed it in the fridge. Just thought it was part of that general thrifty housewifery thing of that era.

[Whatisthisfuckery]

Well, if they’re quite happy to cook their roasties in meat juices then what’s wrong with this? They sound ridiculous to me. As long as it’s not left to go rancid then what’s the issue?

[Fr0g]

thanks @Dontsweatthelittlestuff - hadn't though of that. will see if my chickens like it, or take it to the park.
This thread has given me a sudden yearning for fried bread though!

[ItsJustTheOneSwanActually]

I put any waste oil in the compost bin. I have kept goose fat in the fridge for roast potatoes - v nice

[StressedTonightHelp]

I don't think it's gross and I'm a vegan! If the animal has already been killed, might aswell use it as much as possible so as not to waste

[Rainandclouds]

I would not eat it on toast but do save it for the next time. I have duck fat in the fridge from a tin of confit duck last week. Makes amazing roast spuds

[HowlsMovingBungalow]

I was thinking vegans/veggies might boak at the sight of a bowl of fat in the fridge - seems I'm wrong!
Totally agree with using ALL the animal.

[LoseLooseLucy]

Oooh I love dripping on toast ❤

[SilverySurfer]

Seems totally normal to me - how would you ever have dripping on a thick crusty slice of bread without? Also use it to cook Yorkshire puds.

[UnderBellyLaughs]

Well, that’s a huge relief! My grandma and mum have always kept dripping, and so we always keep it too as just presumed this was normal.
Friends were so horrified I thought perhaps this was actually totally gross, and should stop, but very happy to find it’s actually not!
Honestly makes the best roast potatoes and base for a gravy.
Maybe I’ll use the dripping for the next time we invite said friends over for dinner and convert them!

[Gatehouse77]

Not gross. My mum didn't reuse the fat but any meat juices underneath were added to the following week's gravy.

[TiceCream]

YABU for wasting it on potatoes or gravy. It needs to be eaten on hot toast with a sprinkle of white pepper. Or use it to butter the bread for a sandwich made with the meat.

[Throckmorton]

Please don't give it to birds - it's not good for them:

ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/266511-big-fat-no-for-birds

[commanderdalgliesh]

My dad always used to do this! I'd forgotten.

[custardbear]

I'm a meat eater but dripping is pure animal fat, terrible for you! So no I would bin it and use olive
Oil for roasties