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The bacon from Wilson Farms Meat Co. (9217 Elk Run Rd., Catlett VA, and cash-only) is so good. SOOOO good. Does anybody retail this stuff in the area, or do I have to make the trek out to Catlett?

Apparently, old man Hoenigmann used to tell his customers that it was good enough to eat uncooked. All I can tell you is that it's delicious either way.

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Cibola has stopped making their hickory smoked bacon because the recipe included sodium nitrite. We are devastated.

This was two years ago, and some of us are still devastated. I feel that we have now made a good faith effort to try all the other available bacons available, and nothing quite stacks up. Looking for a meaty back bacon that I can cook up a couple slices for breakfast without the family feeling like we have to subsist on low fat oatmeal for the rest of the week. Would prefer a farm where the pigs are happy, and local is a plus. Any online recommendations?

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This was two years ago, and some of us are still devastated. I feel that we have now made a good faith effort to try all the other available bacons available, and nothing quite stacks up.
I am curious which ones have you tried that haven't stacked up and why?
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I've definitely tried (at least) Cibola's bacon, the one from EcoFriendly, and at least one other vendor at Dupont. They aren't bad, but the one that Cibola used to produce had a lot of meat & not a lot of fat, compared to the other bacons available. I'm fairly sure it was a back bacon, and that's what I'm looking for.

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I know more about the wares at farmers markets as opposed to real butchers that some DR members patronize. However, Truck Patch is a producer that the Waitman/Mrs. B family likes--they're at Robin Schuster's markets (Mt. Pleasant for sure).

Cedarbrook and Smith Meadows are at Dupont Circle--at least the former makes bacon (cured [let the producer explain], but no nitrates added); I don't know about latter.

Haskins at Foggy Bottom has some pork products--I don't know if bacon is one. (The prices on their chicken parts are worth the trip; wings @ $2.50 this past week; thighs at $3.50).

At Silver Spring, there's Groff's Content Farm and Evensong.

At Penn Quarter: Red Apron plus Cibola.

Of course, you should google names or check farmers market web sites since these folk also participate in other markets in the area.

ETA: all bacon from (formerly) happy pigs, humanely raised in bliss until that fateful, final day...

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I'm fairly sure that I've done a sweep of all the Dupont vendors. Nobody is doing back bacon, as far as I know. I'll check out Foggy Bottom next time I'm there.

I asked one pork person who explained that most local pig farmers use the loin to make chops and roasts vs. a Canadian-style bacon. Based on their knowledge of customer preferences and potential for profit? (My speculation.)
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On Sunday, I bought a slab of "smoked, cured pork belly" from Bruce at Eco-Friendly. "Isn't this usually referred to as bacon?" I said. Apparently, there is some USDA rule or another that requires they meet some labeling requirement in order to call it bacon, which they don't meet. Well, I don't care what it's called, as long as it tastes good. :(

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I've definitely tried (at least) Cibola's bacon, the one from EcoFriendly, and at least one other vendor at Dupont. They aren't bad, but the one that Cibola used to produce had a lot of meat & not a lot of fat, compared to the other bacons available. I'm fairly sure it was a back bacon, and that's what I'm looking for.

No idea if it's back bacon or not, guessing not, but I find the bacon from Springfield Farm out near Sparks, MD to be quite meaty. Everyone once in a while a friend or I make a trip to the farm and pick up products when we do so I don't know much about where they vend, except that I believe they're at the Harbor East Market in Fells Point, Baltimore on Saturday mornings. I've also bought bacon from Truck Patch, but I've only bought the slab bacon and especially the second time, it was quite fatty.

The other vendor you might try doesn't do markets, but does do community drops of sorts - Forest Fed. Although now that I think of it, I don't think he makes bacon (he does sell pork belly though). Still, the best pork I've ever had in the area so worth checking out for other purposes if the bacon doesn't work out. A friend of mine makes his own bacon from their belly.

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No idea if it's back bacon or not, guessing not, but I find the bacon from Springfield Farm out near Sparks, MD to be quite meaty. Everyone once in a while a friend or I make a trip to the farm and pick up products when we do so I don't know much about where they vend, except that I believe they're at the Harbor East Market in Fells Point, Baltimore on Saturday mornings. I've also bought bacon from Truck Patch, but I've only bought the slab bacon and especially the second time, it was quite fatty.

The other vendor you might try doesn't do markets, but does do community drops of sorts - Forest Fed. Although now that I think of it, I don't think he makes bacon (he does sell pork belly though). Still, the best pork I've ever had in the area so worth checking out for other purposes if the bacon doesn't work out. A friend of mine makes his own bacon from their belly.

Last I bought the bacon form Forest Fed was at the Alexandria market-it's pork belly, not bacon. His pork is excellent, but I'm not sure how to buy it now. I wonder if he still supplies Rustico and if that might be a way to hook up with his products.

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Last I bought the bacon form Forest Fed was at the Alexandria market-it's pork belly, not bacon. His pork is excellent, but I'm not sure how to buy it now. I wonder if he still supplies Rustico and if that might be a way to hook up with his products.

Well I'm just a TAD late in responding to this but I get my meat from him at a drop location. He does deliveries twice per month to Silver Spring. I'm sure he has other locations, I would just email him. I made a pork loin I got from him while staying in a cabin recently, fantastic!

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This is what I want to make! Bacon: good! Onions: good! Garlic: good! Maple syrup: good! Brown sugar: good! Coffee: good! This sounds like breakfast you can spread on bread. Or a pizza. Think I better stop now.

Seems to me that it would lose something without the great bacon texture, I was crispy fat not chewy lean.

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Seems to me that it would lose something without the great bacon texture, I was crispy fat not chewy lean.

So my friends and I made the bacon jam since we had a snow day today...we liked it and I'll probably experiment with it on various products, but when I put it on toast there was just something missing. It was very sweet and not too salty, so I think IMO not enough of the bacon flavor was coming through but I don't know if that was because of something we screwed up or the recipe. The maple syrup came through very well so I don't know. If anyone else makes this let me know.

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The bacon threads are proliferating again.  Moderators, here are a couple of interlopers: 1 and 2

In the meantime, a shout out for one of the more outstanding bacons I've had in a long time, this one a jowl bacon from Brick Farm Market, which opened this spring in Hopewell NJ.  The fat is a higher percentage of the uncooked bacon than in traditional belly bacon, but once cooked it really concentrates down that baconny goodness along the line of muscle in the center.  Apparently Gubeen hectored the butchers until they brought more out from the back.

The market itself is an interesting project, originally the retail end of a retired hedge fund trader's attempt to build a vertical field-to-fork farm operation that's closed-loop, taking no energy or fertilizer from outside sources, while supplying high-end local produce and products.  More here.

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For anyone who craves the insanely rich smoke of Benton's bacon, but only wants a small quantity (or huge amounts), I will just point out that Harvey's Meats, in the back corner of Union Market, buys it in slab form and has thick-cut strips ready to go, or will cut to order.  Currently $11/lb.

Thanks for the tip! Haven't tried Benton's and been meaning to for years.

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It's worth the fuss.  It's so intensely smoky that my kitchen smells like a smoky bar after cooking, and so dry that it cooks with minimal splattering.  The drippings are wonderful for cooking any kind of breakfast food.

(Benton's country ham, on the other hand, I do not understand the fuss at all.  It's really salty with no other flavor.)

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It's worth the fuss.  It's so intensely smoky that my kitchen smells like a smoky bar after cooking, and so dry that it cooks with minimal splattering.  The drippings are wonderful for cooking any kind of breakfast food.

(Benton's country ham, on the other hand, I do not understand the fuss at all.  It's really salty with no other flavor.)

Thanks for the confirmation. Definitely on the list to get!

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I bought some delicious country-style bacon with rind on at Harvey's Market in Union Market yesterday. I was going to get the Benton bacon, which was nearly twice as much, but the kind man working the counter said for a breakfast of bacon and eggs, their less expensive variety would do the trick. I took his advice and baked it for 25 minutes at 400 degrees, leaving the rind on. Fabulous results, with less mess and effort than my usual frying method.

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