This Old-School Bacon Dressing Was A 1970s Salad Staple

From Brussels sprouts and bacon bits to good old-fashioned BLTs, it's clear that greens and bacon are a winning culinary combination. Back in the '70s, Americans took this pairing to another, more indulgent level with hot bacon dressing. This truly decadent concoction uses heavy amounts of bacon fat, resulting in a powerfully flavorful and incredibly filling condiment.

Making hot bacon dressing requires a bit more time than other types of salad dressing, but the payoff is worth it. Start by chopping and cooking bacon until crisp, then remove and keep the rendered fat in the pan. Sauté the remaining ingredients in the bacon grease in lieu of oil or butter. Recipes vary, but hot bacon dressing typically includes a blend of onions, vinegar, and sugar.

Unlike other salad dressings, which are cooled prior to serving, hot bacon dressing goes directly on your dish. In fact, salads topped with hot bacon dressing are sometimes called "killed lettuce," given that this piping hot dressing causes leaves to wilt. However, do not fret – this is just part of the delicious process.

An old-school salad dressing everyone used to love, the precise history of hot bacon dressing is murky. The dish is likely German in origin and is particularly popular among Pennsylvania's Amish community. Recipes have shown up as early as the 19th century. In the late 1800s, hot bacon dressing was often paired with freshly harvested dandelion leaves.

However it got its start, hot bacon dressing had something of a heyday in the '70s and '80s. During this time, spinach suddenly became a more common kitchen staple due to the newfound presence of pre-washed bags in grocery store aisles. Hot bacon dressing was often used as a topping for warm spinach salad, a dish popular during this time.

So, why isn't hot bacon dressing better known today? Food trends come and go, and the '80s and '90s were marked by fears of trans fats and cholesterol and a subsequent rise in fat-free foods. Bacon was not quite in vogue, which likely contributed to the dressing's waning popularity. However, given the bacon craze of the early 2000s, there's a good chance hot bacon dressing and similar condiments could be poised for a comeback.