# BACON



## boomchakabowwow (Apr 12, 2018)

talk about an easy discussion topic. i buy very good bacon from a local butcher. it's not to much more expensive than the big stores. but it blows it all away.

i rarely eat bacon strips. maybe in a BLT(A), but that needs tomato season to get under way.

mostly it is an ingredient. last night i made a quick pasta sauce. burned my last jar of last season's tomatos. basically, bacon, diced onion, pepper flakes..salt/pepper. finished with a few capers. 

tossed it all in pasta and served it to my wife..with fresh parm. 

it do that dish all the time..but not always with the bacon. what a difference!! the smokey porkyness!! 

i think bacon's superpower is it as an ingredient. a little goes a long ways.

i dont save the grease tho..you?


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## brianh (Apr 12, 2018)

I save the drippings and cook burgers/steaks in it.


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## 5698k (Apr 12, 2018)

When I make gumbo, if I want it really rich, Ill either sauté the trinity in bacon grease, or even more so, use bacon grease instead of oil for the roux.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Apr 12, 2018)

If you like pork belly bacon, try some smoked pork jowl bacon.


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## Jovidah (Apr 12, 2018)

Whenever I use bacon (usually cubed) in one-pot meals or stews, I usually start with the bacon first, then fry the aromatics and whatever comes after in the bacon fat (with maybe some added butter if needed).
The key is always to find bacon that isn't pumped full of water. It may look cheap, but in the end you're just getting ripped off and all you're doing is boiling all that water out trying to fry it. Over here I'd say about 90% of bacon in supermarkets is water-pumped crap.


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## DamageInc (Apr 12, 2018)

I pretty much only use bacon for pasta dishes or in burgers. I always save the fat for frying other stuff. Oh yeah, and if I'm making a cheaters version of a Danish dish called æbleflæsk. I'll cook the bacon into the apples instead of making the pork belly component. Basically savory apple sauce with bacon in it.

My go-to quick dinner is this recipe from Marco Pierre White, minus the knorr stuff. Just pasta, bacon, tomato puree, onion, and garlic. I do tend to put in a little chili and thyme or oregano.

[video=youtube;l-P9G3s3kb0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-P9G3s3kb0[/video]


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## panda (Apr 12, 2018)

save the grease!! it's so good to cook with.


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## StonedEdge (Apr 12, 2018)

I think I'd get reprimanded by my pork farmer if I tossed the fat out lol


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## DamageInc (Apr 12, 2018)

I forgot to say this since I don't make bloody marys that often, but I stick a slice of crispy bacon into the glass as garnish when serving.


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 12, 2018)

DamageInc said:


> I forgot to say this since I don't make bloody marys that often, but I stick a slice of crispy bacon into the glass as garnish when serving.



you my friend, almost won the internet!! 

IMHO, there is no better smell in the kitchen that bacon and onions cooking to soft..


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## DeepCSweede (Apr 12, 2018)

I don't save all of the grease, but save enough to occasionally cook with for me. My wife and daughters don't love the smokiness. I like to do the trinity or just onions / mushrooms with bacon fat. Nice that my freezer is full of Neuske's goodness also.


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## WildBoar (Apr 12, 2018)

Anyone have some guidelines for good practices on storing bacon grease? We do cook bacon very often (one every few months?), so the saved bacon grease generally sits in a glass bowl on the counter for a couple of days, and whatever is left after that gets tossed. Can it be stored longer in fridge or freezer (I would guess freezer is a 'duh! Of course it can!'). Should it ideally be strained to increase the storage life?

Sorry for the questions, but I am not sure how easily it goes rancid.


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## StonedEdge (Apr 12, 2018)

Strain out particles, let cool to room temp in a jar with lid off. Then transfer to fridge in jar with lid on. Will stay good for a few months.


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## Paraffin (Apr 12, 2018)

I let bacon grease cool just enough to still be liquid (or re-heat to that point). Then strain it through cheesecloth into a quart zip-lock bag. Then seal the bag and toss it in the freezer. It thaws out fine, and this way I don't have to track the storage date. I'll always use frozen bacon grease before it has a chance to go bad in the freezer.


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## WildBoar (Apr 12, 2018)

Thanks to both of you for the info!


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## Jovidah (Apr 12, 2018)

I've never had any issues storing rendered animal fats outside of the fridge for up to a month.
In the fridge...several months. Never had any issue. But who knows.. maybe it's just blind luck I haven't died yet. 
If you're worried you can always just reheat it to sterilize it.

My favorite way to strain the fats is... disposable hairnets (lined in a metal strainer). There's a certain type that's quite tight-woven which makes it perfect for straining pretty much anything. They're also dirtcheap and disposable.


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## chinacats (Apr 12, 2018)

While I love having the fat/grease I usually just buy it off the breakfast.buffet at Whole Foods... by far the least expensive way for a cheapskate like me and I don't have to clean up afterwards.


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## panda (Apr 12, 2018)

use a coffee filter to strain the impurities (while the fat is still hot)


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## charlesquik (Apr 12, 2018)

I buy bacon scrap (or at least rejected pieces) by the kilo at a local shop where my friend is working. This is a 10 kg box so about 22 lbs. (it cost me 30 bucks)

This is high quality apple smoked bacon. (there is other flavor too)

Here is a picture of the box.







I am a little bit too excited lol






This is too much so I share the box with 1 or 2 friends each time.


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## panda (Apr 12, 2018)

that is awesome!!


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## McMan (Apr 13, 2018)

charlesquik said:


> I buy bacon scrap (or at least rejected pieces) by the kilo at a local shop where my friend is working. This is a 10 kg box so about 22 lbs. (it cost me 30 bucks)
> 
> This is high quality apple smoked bacon. (there is other flavor too)
> 
> ...



Now that's a good way to spend 30 bucks!


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## valgard (Apr 13, 2018)

I have to say I wanna be your friend just so I can have part of that box. [emoji23]


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## panda (Apr 13, 2018)

valgard said:


> I have to say I wanna be your friend just so I can have part of that box. [emoji23]



**** in a box


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 13, 2018)

that is a LOT of bacon!! $30 is insane!!


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## charlesquik (Apr 13, 2018)

boomchakabowwow said:


> that is a LOT of bacon!! $30 is insane!!



Also its 30 cad so about 23.5$ us !


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## valgard (Apr 14, 2018)

charlesquik said:


> Also its 30 cad so about 23.5$ us !



***! If you live in Calgary I'll invite you to a drink right now :rofl2:


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## HRC_64 (Apr 14, 2018)

canadian (scrap) bacon ftw :rofl:


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## RonB (Apr 18, 2018)

Bacon is great in fried rice - it adds a nice crunch and a wow factor .


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## Badgertooth (Apr 18, 2018)

charlesquik said:


> This is too much so I share the box with 1 or 2 friends each time.



Where can I find the application form to become your friend?


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## Bacon king tone (May 7, 2018)

Bacon wrapped deepfried hotdogs with kimchi, try it lol it's a David change thing.


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