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Bacon-Fat Ginger Cookies
Yes, that is bacon behind my cookies. Why? Because--as I have just recently learned--behind every truly excellent ginger cookie, there is bacon fat.
The New York Times's fashion critic, of all people, supplied this recipe. The key, she says, is to fry 1 1/2 pounds of cheap bacon and use the resulting milky bacon fat as shortening. Needless to say, I was fascinated. Being a modern cook, I don't save fat, but I know that my hypothetical praire ancestors did. I also know that they cooked with molasses a lot. So I agree with Cathy Horyn's conjecture that this recipe was probably the result of improvisation in a country kitchen. Ever wonder what 3/4 of a cup a bacon fat would look like? Well, here it is:
The article containing this recipe was headed "Season's Drippings." That's all you need to know.
***
Bacon-Fat Ginger Cookies
(adapted from Cathy Horyn's adaption from Nelle Branson's Trinity Episcopal Church Recipe Book)
Mix together in a large bowl:
3/4 cup bacon fat, cooled (from 1 1/2 pounds of cheap bacon)
1 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I used fleur de sel, because that's what I had around)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Chill dough for a few hours in the fridge. Make youself a BLT.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I used greased and floured cookie trays, but Horyn says to use parchment. Form the satisfyingly pliable dough into 1 Tablespoon balls, roll in sugar, and place on the cookie sheet far apart (these babies really spread out). I sprinkled a little extra sugar on the tops of mine as I flattened them with the tines of a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, until dark and ginger snappy. Cool briefly, and then enjoy bacon as you've never tasted it before.
***
Tomorrow: Aunt Ester's Sugar Cookies (really)
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26 comments:
Bacon fat? I'll take your word for it. I'm glad to know that Nigella's meatballs work just as well with meatloaf mix. Ground lamb can be a pain in the ass to find.
I don't know about being a modern cook or whatever, but I save fat like it's money. Right now in the fridge I have chicken, duck, and pork fat just waiting for the right occasion to come along. There's some chicken fat in the freezer too. But I almost always throw away bacon drippings because they have a strong smokey flavor that you don't always want in your non-bacon dishes. Glad to have a new reason to keep it around, though.
I'm soooo curious!!! Thanks for submiting the recipe to my cookie contest!
One of my favorite ginger cookie recipes, one I found in an Ann Hodgman book, uses lard. They're fabulous and definitely do not taste like pork.
My family loved these! And it was a great way for my non-cook Dad to take part in the annual cookie baking -- he did the bacon! Plus we loved having the bacon chunks on hand, too.
These cookies are special to take with afternoon coffee, or you may be with a white tea.
when i am cooking i usually add bacon because the taste is really delicious. Actually the bacon for the breakfast is really good i enjoyed a lot. Although the ingredients of the meals be simply if you chose the right ones,the taste will be wonderful.
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This is wonderful, thanks for sharing. I always save my bacon fat using my WonderPour strainer spout. Makes it so easy. I found mine at wonderpour.com
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