Underrated Ingredient - Part 4 (What else can I do with pan drippings?)

     So this is the last part in this little series on pan drippings; what they are, what can they be used for, etc.  So as such, I figured that we'd go into some different uses for the drippings, and hopefully that will change your mind next time you go and think about throwing them out.

     One of my favorite uses for leftover pan drippings is using them to make rice.  You heard me right, I use pan drippings for when I make rice.  Most people bring water to a boil when they make rice, and some people add butter to the water as well.  I like to use pan drippings as it adds lots of flavor and works just as well.  If you are one of those people that uses water and butter for their rice, than use all the pan drippings and don't skim any of the fat out.  For a slightly healthier version, let the pan drippings cool in the fridge, the fat will form a layer on the top that can be scooped out and you can use the rest for great flavor.  Don't worry about not having enough pan drippings, you can add water to get to the amount of liquid you need without diluting it too much, as long as you don't have more water than drippings.

     Another alternative use for pan drippings that I enjoy is when it gets colder and soup/chili/stew is on the menu!  For these dishes, you definitely want to skim the fat out of the drippings.  Adding pan drippings to the cooking soup/stew/chili adds some wonderful flavor and depth to the dish, just make sure you are adding the right kind of drippings though; beef to beef or chicken to chicken.  If you add beef to chicken, you could mask the chicken flavors with the stronger beef, and if you add chicken, you may not taste it at all.

     One thing I have not tried yet but I have heard of is using pan drippings to make a vinaigrette for your salads.  There are several recipes out there for this and from what I can see, they range from barely any drippings to quite a bit depending on whether we are talking chicken or beef.  Plus, there are a few mentions of using pan drippings from roasted chicken in the dressing for potato salad, chicken salad, or pasta salad.

     I hope this helped to open your eyes to the wonderful world of pan drippings and got you thinking about saving them in the future for other uses than just gravy.  Stay tuned as next week, I will have a special announcement for you all!