How to make a bacon candle or man-dle

Cook bacon and collect grease. Check out my cook bacon in the microwave guide.

Heat bacon grease on low until all steam is gone. You are rendering the fat to pure lard for pork or tallow if using beef bacon. This could take up to an hour.

Have an appropriate jar ready.

Have candle wax or bees wax ready to melt. I bought this at Michaels crafts.

I checked in the garage for something to hold the wick in place. Cool storage eh?

Ah, that is it.

Tie off the wick to the weight.

Prepare string or candle wicking.

I use an ice pick to chop off the amount of candle wax I need to melt.

The fat has cleared and no more steam, ready to strain.

I prepared paper towel in a strainer to catch bacon bits. You can use a coffee filter too.

When there is no more steam, I pour the rendered lard through the strainer.

In a double boiler set up, I melt the candle wax.

The candle wax melts quickly. I use this pot for candle making and it had some red wax left over before I melted the wax.

I used a measuring cup to check how much of each. I used 50/50. The instructible used 1/3 beeswax.

I don't have to stir it, but pour mixture into prepared container.

I think the wick wicks air up later, I might have prevented this if I soaked the wick first or cool outside the refrigerator, more slowly.

Refrigerate. Or not, but this is quicker.

I made two. One for DH and one for brother in law.

Yes, bacon. I ate it.

You can pour the rendered lard in something, freeze and use as cooking fat.

I poured extra bacon grease in each hole by the wick.

Smells good like a man (dle) should.

Lights up the room.

This is after burning 3-4 hours. Cool eh?

Makes a great gift, Father's Day, Birthday, Anniversary, Christmas or any occasion to say I Love You to a Real Man.