ABOUT BACON

ABOUT BACON
By Selma Roth

Lots of people believe that everything tastes better with bacon. In fact,
many people believe it’s a miracle food. How much do YOU know
about bacon?
BUYING
Look through the window on the back of the package to get an idea of
the quality of the bacon. It should look meaty without a lot of fat.
Read the ingredients –anything more than pork, water, salt and brown
sugar means it has had chemicals added as preservatives. How much
do you want in your bacon?
The thickness of the slices is really a matter of choice and how it will
be used in a recipe. Thick slices generally have the most bacon flavor,
but they take longer to cook and are not as crispy as thinner slices.
Check the expiration date on the package, and buy the one with the
longest date. Bacon should be kept as cold as possible, so it’s a good
idea to pick it up just before you check out. Then when you get home,
put it into the refrigerator as soon as possible. The temperature should
be no higher than 40 degrees.
STORING
Unopened bacon in its original packaging can be kept in the
refrigerator up to a week past the expiration date. Once opened, be
sure to wrap it in foil or put it into an airtight bag, and use it within a
week. If you can’t use it up within that time, it can be frozen for up to
four months.
Freezing a whole pound of raw bacon means you have to use it all
within a week after you thaw it, because refreezing is not
recommended. Instead you can cut it in half or quarters before you
freeze it, or freeze individual slices. Roll separate strips (they will
look like a mini cinnamon roll), or roll several strips together. Place
them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and put in the freezer. When
they are frozen they can be put into a bag. That way they won’t stick
together. Take out what you need and let them thaw while you are
busy doing other things.

You can also cook the bacon first, refrigerate what you will eat in a
week, and then freeze what’s left in a zip lock bag or airtight
container. Take out strips as you need them and warm in the
microwave or frying pan. They will last up to six months. This is a
tremendous time saver when you are in a hurry and don’t want to take
the time to cook bacon.
SEPARATING STRIPS
Sometimes the bacon strips are a little hard to separate when you take
the package from the refrigerator. If you have time to plan ahead, take
it out about thirty minutes before you plan to cook it. If you’re in a
hurry it could be put into the microwave for a few seconds to soften
the bacon. Or roll it lengthwise in its package like a jellyroll and then
unroll it and press it flat. That will loosen the strips.
IS IT STILL GOOD?
There are three ways to tell if bacon is safe to eat.
Smell it. If it has a normal bacon smell, go ahead and cook it.
Otherwise throw it out.
Look at it closely to be sure it isn’t discolored or have an
unappetizing greyish cast.
Be sure it isn’t slimy.
Is it safe to scrape mold off of bacon and cook it? There seems to be
no definite answer, as there is a wide difference of opinion, even
among experts. Some say no matter how much you wash or scrape it,
the bacon is still contaminated and should be discarded. Others say
the mold is only on the surface and can be scraped off. If you only eat
a pound of bacon a little at a time, the best solution is to cut it into
small portions when you buy it, and then freeze it. That way it will
never go bad.
OTHER WAYS TO COOK IT
Blanching - When eating bacon by itself, its smoky, salty taste is
what makes it so delicious, but when added to some recipes, like beef
bourguignon, it can cover up the taste of milder ingredients. The
solution is to blanch it. Just put it in a pan with three inches of cold

water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about
five minutes. Rinse the bacon in cold water, pat it dry with a paper
towel, and use it in a recipe. It gives recipes more of a flavor of pork
instead of smoky and salty. If you like the smoky taste then you
wouldn’t want to blanch the bacon.
Barding is a process of wrapping foods with strips of bacon to keep it
moist while it cooks, and gives it extra flavor. This is often done with
poultry to keep it from drying out. As it cooks, the fat oozes into the
meat. This bastes the meat instead of having to do it by hand. It also
keeps meat from burning, but the bacon can be removed toward the
end of cooking time so the meat can brown. Some people also like to
wrap some fruits and vegetables with bacon before grilling them to
add extra flavor.
Larding
Besides wrapping meat with bacon, the fat can also be infused into
meat with a hollow needle made for this purpose. The larding needle
is filled with fat, and when it is taken out of the meat, the bacon fat is
left inside, adding moisture and a delicious flavor.
Lardons is the French term for short, narrow pieces of bacon. They
could be called a larger version of bacon bits. They are another form
of larding, but the meat is used instead of just the rendered fat.
Originally their purpose was to add deeper bacon flavor and moisture
to lean pieces of meat, and the pieces would be inserted right into the
meat before it was cooked. But cooks gradually realized they could be
added to many foods to add flavor.
To cook them that way, slice cold bacon into pieces about one quarter
inch wide and put into a pan over medium high heat with just a little
olive oil. Stir occasionally until the lardons are crisp. The best way to
remove them from the pan is with a slotted spoon so the fat will drip
into the pan. The fat has a delicious bacon flavor, and can be used like
any other fat in recipes.
These tasty pieces are used in many different ways. One of the most
popular ways is in a French salad that has frisee greens and a poached

egg. They go well with eggs, and many cooks add them to quiches
and other egg dishes. They are also used to flavor soups, top baked
potatoes, and add a delicious flavor to salads. When they are cooked
with other ingredients, such as onions, they don’t get crispy and
develop their special bacon flavor. So it’s always best to cook them
alone.
USING FAT
After cooking bacon, you will be left with a generous amount of fat,
and you might wonder what to do with it. Don’t be too quick to get
rid of it. Many cooks value it as a cooking oil for its special flavor.
After cooking the bacon, let the fat come to room temperature, and
then pour it through a strainer into a clean jar. Cover it firmly and
store it in the refrigerator if you are going to use it within a few days.
Otherwise it can easily be frozen. The most convenient way is to
measure it by tablespoons (as many as you will need at one time) into
an ice cube tray and put it into the freezer. When it is frozen, the
small amounts can be transferred into a zip lock bag and put back into
the freezer for future use.
If you do not need or want the rendered fat, let it cool to room
temperature and pour into a plastic bag, then toss into the trash. It
isn’t a good idea to pour it down the drain, because it will coagulate
and clog up the drain. Then you could have a big plumbing bill!
BACON BITS
Why make your own bacon bits? Because they are more healthy and
taste better, besides saving money!
Homemade bacon bits will keep in an airtight container for up to three
days in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer. They will
not keep on a shelf in your pantry like the ones you buy at the store
because those have salt and other preservatives.
They can be used in many ways – sprinkled on top of soups, on baked
potatoes, in salads, mixed in with some vegetables, added to pasta

sauces or sprinkled into omelets. These are just a few ideas. You can
add them to any foods when you want the great taste of bacon!
How to make bacon bits
Cook bacon first – Cook the bacon slices in a skillet as you
usually do and crumble them with your fingers once they’ve
cooled; put them into a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling
pin, or cut them up with a food processor.
Cut before cooking – Chill the bacon in the freezer for a few
minutes (even out of the refrigerator the bacon is squishy and hard
to cut), then using a sharp knife, electric knife or a pair of kitchen
shears, cut them the size you want them to be. The easiest and
fastest way to cut them uniformly is to put several slices on top of
each other, cut them in half lengthwise, and then cut them in small
pieces crosswise (about ¼ to ½ inches). Heat a large frying pan
over medium heat. Put the bacon into the frying pan and cook for
about five minutes, stirring often until they are done the way you
like them. Use a slotted spoon to take the bacon bits out of the fat.
Drain on paper towels and cool, then store in airtight container.
Grinding – this is a simple process of grinding the bacon and
frying it. If you are able to buy bacon ends and pieces, it is more
economical and easy to work with. Cut it crosswise into chunks
about an inch thick, then freeze it for about an hour. As with
cutting, at room temperature the bacon gets squishy and is hard to
grind without gumming up the grinder. Grind it while it’s still
frozen.
Place all the bacon into a pan on medium heat. Stir occasionally
until they start to sizzle, then stir them frequently until they are
crispy. In the beginning they may look like long pieces of meat,
but the bits are just stuck together, and they will separate as they
cook. You may want to let them drain on a paper towel before
using them.

KINDS OF BACON
Besides the usual slices of bacon in a package, there are two other
kinds that are useful.
Slab bacon is sold as a large flat cut. If the rind is still attached, it
can easily be cut off with a sharp knife. Slice the slab lengthwise in
the thickness you prefer. It has the same flavor as pre-sliced bacon,
and can be used in the same way. One of the advantages of buying
bacon this way is that it can be cut into various sized pieces to use
in different ways –extra thick slices, small chunks or cubes for
adding flavor to dishes like soups or stews.
Because each slab weighs several pounds, and it will only stay
fresh for a few days after you buy it, you will probably need to cut
it into smaller portions, wrap it well and freeze the extra. Wrap the
remaining slab of bacon with a cloth or paper. Plastic wrap is not
recommended as this may sour the bacon. Use a string to wrap the
bacon properly. Slab bacon should be tightly wrapped and will
keep several weeks in the refrigerator, depending on how fresh it is
when you buy it. The ends may darken and dry out, and should be
sliced off and discarded before cooking the bacon. It can
sometimes be difficult to find. Some butcher shops and specialty
food stores carry it, or will order it for you.
Bacon ends are a bargain when you can find them. Butchers sell a
whole slab of bacon, or cut it in slices that are all the same
thickness and size. The scraps that are left over are called bacon
ends. Generally they aren’t eaten the same as sliced bacon, but are
fried and used to flavor food. They are sometimes sold in larger
amounts and may be frozen in smaller portions for greater
convenience. They have many uses, such as adding flavor to green
beans, baked beans, soups, stews, baked potatoes, refried beans,
wilted spinach salad, dressings and others. They are usually cut in
chunks, so they give more of a bacon flavor.

BACON MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT
PEOPLE
Pancetta is an Italian style bacon. Regular bacon is smoked before
it is cured, but pancetta is just cured and then dried for a few
months. The two can be substituted for each other –the pancetta
just won’t give the smoky flavor. Rolled pancetta is sliced and
often used cold in sandwiches, or wrapped around vegetables or
meats before they are cooked. They are usually packaged the same
as cold cuts, and most supermarkets and delicatessens carry them.
Slabs of pancetta are often cut and used the same as bacon, fried or
in soups, pasta and other dishes. Like bacon, it should be cooked
before eating or can be chopped and added to other dishes to add
flavor.
Prosciutto is very different from either bacon or pancetta. It is
made from the same part of the pig as ham, and is more like ham
than bacon. It isn’t highly processed – usually the outside is rubbed
with salt, and sometimes a few spices. As it cures, the meat
deepens in flavor while air dries it. It can take from a few months
to several years to complete the process.
Once it is cured, prosciutto, unlike bacon and pancetta, is often
eaten without being cooked. It is just thinly sliced and eaten in
sandwiches, or wrapped around pieces of melon. It can be added to
some dishes just long enough to give a deeper flavor. It shouldn’t
be cooked for long periods, as it loses its special taste and makes it
tough.
To store it, keep it in the refrigerator and eat it by the use-buy date.
After it is opened it should be eaten within two days.
Canadian Bacon, as it is called in the United States, is leaner than
regular bacon. Its flavor, the way it looks, and its texture, is more
like ham than bacon. It is processed with some sugar, so is sweeter
than regular smoked bacon. It is meant to be juicy, and doesn’t get

crispy in its own fat the way bacon does. If it is left to get crisp it
will get overcooked and dried out.
In the United States it is popular paired with pineapple as a topping
for pizza. It also goes well in omelets and other breakfast foods for
those who want the flavor of bacon without all the fat. You’ll find
many recipes on the Internet containing Canadian bacon.
In some other countries it is known as back bacon, because it is
cut from the back of the pork. In Australia it is called short cut
bacon, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland it is called rashers.
Oddly enough, in Canada it isn’t known as Canadian bacon, but in
southern Ontario there is a similar meat called Peameal bacon
because originally it was rolled in ground dried yellow peas. The
more modern way is to roll it in cornmeal. It is sold both cooked
and partly cooked, so it’s important to read the label and see if it
needs any cooking. It is often eaten for breakfast in Canada and
parts of the United Kingdom.
ARTISAN BACON
This is a gourmet kind of bacon with a long list of different flavors.
These include honey glazed, hickory, maple, bourbon, apple
cinnamon, Cajun, jalapeno, honey BBQ, brown sugar, sun-dried
tomato, pepper and hickory smoked, among many others.
Companies on the Internet sell their own special flavors. They
usually come in one pound packages, and some offer samplers so
you can try different flavors. They don’t come cheap, but they
really enhance your bacon experience.
BACON-OF-THE-MONTH
If you can’t get enough bacon, you might like to join a bacon-ofthe-month
club. You get thick slices of different flavored bacon
delivered to your door every month, with three or six month
subscriptions.

DIFFERENT WAYS TO EAT BACON
Bacon has become so popular that it has made its way into many
different foods, especially snacks. For something different, try
chocolate covered bacon, bacon brittle, bacon brownies and
cookies, bacon cheese sticks, bacon popcorn, bacon candy, bacon
cupcakes, and yes, even bacon ice cream. You can think up all
kinds of excuses to eat bacon.
BACON ETIQUETTE
Have you ever wondered if there is a proper way to eat a strip of
bacon? According to etiquette experts, bacon can be finger food if
it is dry, crisp and a whole strip. If it is in pieces, or limp and fatty,
it should be eaten with a knife and fork. So now you know – if you
like your bacon crisp and not dripping in fat, it's perfectly okay to
eat it with your fingers!
HEALTHY OR NOT?
Cooking bacon too much or too little effects its healthiness. Most
of its fats are healthy fats. If you are concerned about the fat and
salt in bacon, there is a lot of information about it on the Internet.
One article particularly gives all the pros and cons. You'll find it at
https://authoritynutrition.com/is-bacon-bad-or-good/