Will bacon fat turn rancid if it isn't refrigerated?

[no_hypocrisy]

Just kept at room temperature for a matter of months?

Throw it out? Put it in the frig? Safe to use?

[safeinOhio]

1. I use the

smell test.

[Kali]

9. this

and Warpy's reply.

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

2. My son keeps a jar of it in his pantry

My Mom used to keep it a kitchen cabinet. She used it all the time when we were little. I don't recall that any of us were ever ill from it.
It made fried eggs more tasty.

[WhiteTara]

3. Throw it out.

It's rancid.

[pbmus]

4. Yes it will, 1-2 months max...without refrigeration

Depends on what has been microlized in the 𝒇𝓪𝓽fat...

[SamKnause]

5. I used to have a metal container with a strainer on top and a lid.

I kept it on the stove and put my bacon drippings in it.

I never had a problem with it going rancid.

It could be because every time I cooked, the heat from the burners on the stove, heated up the drippings.

I used the drippings for making biscuits, frying potatoes, and for making gravy.

My mother did this for decades.

My niece is still doing this.

[Major Nikon]

6. All vegetable and animal fats will turn rancid eventually regardless of how they are stored

Keeping them in the refrigerator and sealed from light or air will extend that time.

You might get months out of it if left at room temperature or you might not. There's lots of factors which affect shelf life.

[pansypoo53219]

7. another oil they did not test. but saw a BBc thing about cooking oils. heating makes most bad.

safest for cooking is BUTTER or lard. they DID test goose fat. that was not so good. but lard is bacon fat right?

[Warpy]

8. What turns nasty are all the little browned bits and pieces

so those need to be strained out. The fat itself retains a lot of salt and nitrites from the bacon, so it's pretty well protected against rancidity.