"You have endless options when it comes to salad dressing. If you're not a fan of store-bought dressings, it's easy enough to make your own. With just oil and an acid as a base, the sky's the limit for what else can be done. But you can also go back a step if you want to really expand your salad dressing repertoire."
"The idea may seem easy to dismiss at first, but it's not really that weird. How often do you top a salad with bacon bits, grilled chicken, or steak? Meat and salad go together beautifully and have done so for years. It doesn't make the salad any less nutritious; it simply adds protein and flavor. The fat in the drippings is a necessary component in salad dressing anyway, and it brings far more flavor than a typical neutral oil, which is never a bad thing."
"A classic vinaigrette ratio is 3:1 oil to vinegar, but some people find that doesn't bring enough flavor, which is where pan drippings can really step up to the plate. Swap all the oil for fattier drippings, or replace just a third of the oil when working with leaner drippings. It will bring that rich, full flavor and a new savory depth to any vinaigrette."
Pan drippings can be used as the fat component in salad dressings to add rich, savory and umami flavors. The fat from bacon, chicken, or steak drippings often brings more depth than neutral oils. Fattier drippings may entirely replace oil in vinaigrettes, while leaner drippings can be mixed with olive oil—commonly in a 3:1 oil-to-vinegar guideline—to balance texture and flavor. Typical vinaigrette proportions and seasonings still apply, with adjustments to the oil-to-dripping ratio depending on richness. Using pan drippings adds protein-associated flavors from meat without making salads less nutritious.
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