Prime Rib Gets A Major Flavor Boost From One Leftover Ingredient

Prime rib is known for its irresistible succulence, but you can make it even more flavorful with just one leftover ingredient. Don't think it's possible? You probably haven't tried adding bacon grease. It introduces an extra umami taste to your roast along with smoky layers and a toothsome saltiness, adding just the right amount of complexity. 

There are many ways to infuse the flavor of bacon grease into your prime rib, including injecting it into the meat to generously meld it into the interior, ensuring an even more succulent bite right through the center. Alternatively, you can rub it onto your roast as a nice, savory coating to help the exterior develop an extra crisp bite. You'd want to mix it well with other seasonings, including salt and black pepper — or whatever your weapon of choice may be. After it's done, for a result worthy of a standing ovation, you might want to season your cooked slices with finishing salt for unrivaled flavor, too.

But before even starting with the prep and preheating the oven, here's an easy pitfall to keep an eye out for, as it might ruin your prime rib entirely: going crazy on the bacon grease — unless you want your meal to be extremely oily. Depending on the recipe, you really don't need a lot. One tablespoon is plenty to lightly coat a 6-pound roast. If you're making a heavy paste with bulky ingredients like multiple roasted garlic heads, you might go up to ¼ cup of melted bacon fat to hold it all together. Because of bacon grease's high fat percentage and potent flavor, a little goes a long way.

In the culinary world, bacon grease is considered a versatile flavor booster. The best thing about it is its longevity, aside from its divine flavor, of course. You can store it in the freezer indefinitely and use it whenever you like. Putting it in the fridge can give you three months of exceptional flavor, allowing you to be fully equipped with a flavor enhancer whenever you need to cook up a mean prime rib. It's a common practice to reuse this all-rounder ingredient, so the next time you cook everyone's breakfast favorite, make sure to save the bacon grease; it's a huge mistake to throw it out.

While you can definitely buy a container of bacon grease in the grocery store, it's very easy to make at home — just cook a batch of bacon. It helps that it's an excuse to go munching on the indulgent meat. But there's a bit more nuance to it if you want to extract the greasy goodness compared to just adorning your plate with the magnificent slices. For one, it's best to slice it up into bite-sized pieces for the fat to quickly render out evenly. Choose a pan big enough for the bacon to be crowded tightly (but still in one layer), and keep the heat low. Stir the pieces after a while to ensure that the fat on the opposite side can also render. When it comes time to pour, strain the grease with a cheesecloth to keep bits of meat out of your bacon fat. Then, all that's left to do is enjoy a divine prime rib with a ravishing touch of an ingredient you'll never want to stop using.