Bacon on Bacon with a Side of Bacon

I love bacon, especially when it's cooked low and slow in a cast iron pan. What I don't love about bacon is it's now appearing, AGAIN, in everything from chocolate to vodka. Am I in a time warp? This "trend" was so 10 years ago! Does anyone else remember? I will say that I do love food accented with a bit of the pork belly, but trying to repackage this as something new is a little lame. I just read about a place in Charleston that's now doing a "Bacon Happy Hour". Sounds a bit cheesy, but they will probably kill with the idea. Folks these days seem to be lacking in the short-term memory department.

I have an old friend named Dan who started the "Bacon of the Month Club" through his import company The Grateful Palate. Dan offered great bacon from small farms from all over the country delivered to your doorstep and they were all incredible. In fact, we held many Bacon/Wine dinners where every course included bacon in some way. It was a lot of fun, but then again we started doing that theme about 10 years ago. Cutting edge then, rehashed now.

Nowadays I just stick to strips. I really only make it when we have guests over and I can indulge a bit. When  cooking bacon for a crowd I switch from a cast iron pan on the stove, to a sheet pan with a rack in the oven; after all it's called "bake-on" not "fry-on".  I bake bacon for 20-25 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven. That usually does the trick, but be sure to watch it to get it to the doneness you like.

Everyone loves bacon, even vegetarians, but they won't speak of it in polite company. My request to restauranteurs is to go easy on the bacon and use your time to think of the NEXT big thing. Oink! I'm out.

Ciao down,
Penn



Comments

  1. Paul ChildressJune 13, 2012 at 6:01 PM

    My last will actually says "before you shove me in the oven. Brush me with butter and wrap me in bacon".

    ReplyDelete

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