How To Make Bacon Powder
Due to the fact that bacon powder is made with bacon fat, it can, in a long-term survival situation, be substituted for other fats in almost every imaginable recipe.
The fact that it’s high in calories may even be a bonus.
What You Will Need
Converting bacon to bacon powder is easier than one might guess. And once in a powder form, bacon can be further preserved for long time use, making it an ideal addition to your long-term or prepper’s pantry.
For this particular demonstration, I am using two harder-to-find ingredients. If you want to make your own bacon powder, just make sure you have them in hand first:
• tapioca maltodextrin (A thick, starchy white powder, maltodextrin is used to improve flavor and extend shelf life and thicken food products.)
• dextrose (A form of sugar made primarily from corn, dextrose is also used to extend the shelf life.)
Both have been around practically forever, and considering they are considered food additives, they are safe for general consumption. A simple internet search should yield multiple ordering options.
If you end up having tapioca maltodextrin or dextrose leftover (and I expect you will), you can follow the same basic instructions to turn any liquid fat into a powder.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a sieve, a food processor, and a jar or plastic bag large enough to hold the finished powder. You may also want to use a vacuum sealer to preserve the final product.
Ingredients
• 4 fluid ounces of bacon fat, cooled but liquid
• 3 cups of tapioca maltodextrin
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of dextrose (optional, but recommended for preserving flavor)
Directions
1. Put all of the salt and dextrose and half of the maltodextrin in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Pulse while slowly pouring in the bacon fat.
3. The mixture will form a paste.
4. Once all the bacon fat has been added, add the remaining maltodextrin and pulse until a powder forms.
5. If you want your powder to be fluffier, put it through a sieve.
6. Put in a jar or a zip-top plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Your bacon powder should be good for several weeks when stored this way.
7. It’s important to note because of the fat in bacon, it will never be able to be fully dehydrated and will always run the risk of turning rancid.
To preserve your bacon powder for up to two years (or even longer), I’d recommend vacuum sealing and freezing. (Since I don’t currently own a vacuum sealer, I’m storing my bacon powder in my freezer. It would last, frozen, for at least several months.)
Benefits
Benefits of vacuum sealing, beyond the increased shelf life the process provides, include:
• Less space is required for storage.
• Mold and bacteria are locked out.
• Protects from freezer burn.
• The flavor is better preserved than with other processes.
Unfortunately, for bacon powder to last for any significant amount of time, electricity, in the form of refrigeration (or freezing) is required. But with a food item as versatile and useful as bacon powder, it’s worth it.
Bacon powder can be used to flavor literally anything—from meat to vegetables to baked goods—earning it a starring role in my prepper pantry.
Related: Seasoning Your Dutch Oven
Original article first published on ASK A PREPPER. Please check out the rest of their website, as it is filled with great information!
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