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).

[Frenchw1fe]

Dd and I like to dip bread in the dripping when meat is nearly cooked. It tastes so good. Dh and ds think it’s gross.
And yes definitely keep for roasties and Yorkshire puds,

[Mjlp]

I think it's gross, but then I'm a vegetarian.

[Dontsweatthelittlestuff]

Throckmorton that is for turkey fat only which is impossible to put out for the birds anyway as it doesn’t solidify

Usual cooking fats like lard and other meat fats are fine.

If you are doing a gammon joint over Christmas and you don’t eat the other fatty bit try to remove it in one whole piece then hang it from a tree in your garden for the birds to enjoy.
If you live in a flat and don’t have a garden pop it on a tree in a local park.

[CabbagePatchKids]

I've never considered saving it before but I'm definitely saving it my next roast potatoes now! Pure genius!

[Throckmorton]

It's for turkey as regards the fat not solidifying, but the other points in the article, about salt and meat juices, still apply

[Waveysnail]

My grandma always did this - mum thought it was gross and I agree

[misspiggy19]

Dripping on toast sounds disgusting

[raspberryk]

Not gross at all, makes the best gravy, spuds etc. Curious as to using the juice for the next week's gravy though, why not the current roast you're making?
@custardbear what makes you think olive oil is better for you on your roasties than beef fat? You shouldn't even heat olive oil that hot.

[DontCallMeShitley]

Dripping on toast, with a little bit of salt...

Heating olive oil
scienceornot.net/2012/09/15/is-it-safe-to-cook-with-olive-oil/

[Thehouseintheforest]

My dad's favourite food was a dripping sandwich for Monday lunch!

[SilverySurfer]

I wouldn't even think about having a beef sandwich if I didn't have dripping for the bread - butter and beef just don't go together IMO. I dislike olive oil so would never consider it for cooking.

[Namechangeymcnamechange11]

Gross to me but I don't eat meat. I'd say it's better it's being used though rather than thrown away.
In the alternative, refrigerating it before throwing out/putting it out for the birds is far better than pouring it down the sink 😱 do your friends want to be paying for Dyno rod to come out or a mains blockage 😱